also: ひぞうっこ
favorite child; favorite student; apple of one's eye
Refers to a person (often a child, student, or protégé) who is cherished and specially favored by a parent, teacher, or mentor. Conveys warmth and affection.
As the president's favorite protégé, he is entrusted with important projects.
That child is the teacher's favorite and always gets special treatment.
愛弟子 is a beloved disciple or pupil, often in traditional arts or crafts. 秘蔵っ子 is broader and can refer to any favored child or junior, not necessarily a formal disciple.
Standard kanji spelling. The reading ひぞっこ is more common than ひぞうっこ.
Less common reading; ひぞっこ is preferred.
Compound of 秘蔵 (ひぞう, 'treasuring, cherishing') + っ子 (っこ, a suffix meaning 'child' or 'person'). The suffix っ子 is a colloquial variant of 子 (こ). The reading ひぞっこ is a contraction of ひぞうっこ.