息子 (むすこ, musuko) Japanese meaning: son

息子 (むすこ, musuko) Japanese meaning: son | Kotomora

Kanji

息breath, respiration, son
子child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM

Related words· 6

子し息そくN1sense 1
子息 is a formal, written term for 'son' used in stiff or respectful contexts, while 息子 is the everyday neutral word.
せがれN1
息子 is the neutral, everyday word for 'son' usable for anyone's child, while せがれ is a humble term used only for one's own son (or a derogatory one for someone else's).
サン
息子 is the standard, neutral word for 'son' used in any register, while サン is a casual, affectionate loanword typically used when talking about one's own boy within the family.
一いち男なん
息子 is the everyday, general word for 'son' regardless of birth order, whereas 一男 is a formal term that often specifically implies the eldest son.

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坊ぼうやN2
息子 is the plain, standard word for 'son', whereas 坊や is a more intimate, cute way to refer to a young son.
子こN4
息子 specifically means 'son', whereas 子 is gender-neutral and can refer to a son or daughter.

Opposites

娘むすめN4sense 1
息子 means 'son' while 娘 means 'daughter', the female counterpart.

Politeness

息子むすこさんpolite 丁寧語sense 1
息子さん is the polite way to refer to someone else's son, while 息子 is used plainly, especially for one's own son.

Don't confuse with

息そく女じょ sense 1
息子 (son) and 息女 (daughter) share the kanji 息 and are easily mixed up despite referring to opposite-gender children.

Counted with

人にん
Use 人 to count sons as people, e.g. 息子二人 (two sons).
男なん
Counts sons (一男一女 = a son and a daughter).

Word family· 13

一人ひとり息子むすこN3
only son
孫まご息子むすこ
grandson
弟おとうと息子むすこ
younger son
生き息子むすこ
young man inexperienced with women; male virgin

Written forms

息子むすこUsage98%
Standard kanji spelling for 'son'.
むすこUsage1%
ムスコUsage<1%
search-only kana form
Katakana form provided for search convenience; not a standard written form.
息むすこ
Rare kanji variant for 'son', mostly seen in older texts.

Etymology

A native compound traditionally analyzed as 生す子: 生す is an old verb meaning “give birth to; bring forth,” and 子 means “child.” The spelling 息子 is a later conventional representation.

息子むすこ

Meanings

Usage patterns