How to say 'I' or 'We' in Japanese | 我

word

Meaning

I, We

Reading

Kanji

我Self, Ego

Explanation

The Japanese pronoun '我 (われ)' is a formal or literary way to refer to oneself or a group. It can mean 'I' or 'we' depending on the context. This pronoun is often used in written language, speeches, or formal settings, and it carries a somewhat archaic or solemn tone. It is less commonly used in everyday conversation, where '私 (わたし)' or '僕 (ぼく)' are more typical for 'I', and '私たち (わたしたち)' for 'we'. Example sentences: I will never forget this「我はこれを忘れない」(われはこれをわすれない). We must protect our homeland「我らは祖国を守らねばならない」(われらはそこくをまもらねばならない). Note that '我' can also appear in compound words like '我々 (われわれ)', which explicitly means 'we'.

Part Of Speech

pronoun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

1154

Composition

kanji

Handwriting