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王様 (おうさま, ousama) Japanese meaning: king | Kotomora

王おう様さま

お

う

さ

ま

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)›

Honorific term for a king; used respectfully, often in stories or when addressing a monarch.

昔むかし々むかし、ある国くにに優やさしい王

おう

様さま

が

い

まし

た

。

Once upon a time, there was a kind king in a certain country.

王おう様さま、お言こと葉ばをありがとうございます。

Your Majesty, thank you for your words.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が王おう様さまになるfor someone to become king
彼かれは若わかくして王おう様さまになった。
He became king at a young age.
王おう様さまに従したがうto obey the king
国こく民みんは王おう様さまに従したがった。
The people obeyed the king.

Expressions

裸はだかの王おう様さまnaked emperor; person of high standing with a warped view of reality
果物くだものの王おう様さまking of fruits; durian

Kanji

王king, rule, magnate
様Esq., way, manner

Related words

王おうN3
王様 is a respectful, often storytelling term for a king, while 王 is the plain, neutral word for the same role.
国こく王おうN2
国王 is the formal, official title used in news or diplomacy, whereas 王様 is warmer and used in everyday or narrative speech.
キング
王様 is the warm, familiar word for a king common in children's stories, whereas キング sounds more like a katakana title or nickname.

Opposites

女じょ王おうN3
王様 refers to a male monarch (king), while 女王 refers to the female counterpart (queen).

Politeness

王おうplainN3
王様 adds the honorific suffix 様 to 王, making it the polite, respectful way to refer to a king, especially when speaking to or about them with reverence.

Word family

王おう様さまゲーム
king's game; party game where a randomly chosen 'king' gives orders
おうさまペンギン
king penguin

Built from

王おう+様さま

Etymology

Compound of 王 (king) and honorific suffix 様 (sama).