The Meaning of musuko [息子] In Japanese

息子
むすこ
Romaji: musuko N5

What does 息子 mean?

Translation and Meaning

son, male child

Definition

息子 means one’s son, a male child in relation to the speaker or a parent. It designates a person’s male offspring and is used as a standard noun in family talk and writing, typically introduced with possessives like 私の息子.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primarily denotes one’s own son in a family context (casual).
  • 息子さん is the polite form used when speaking about someone else’s son or in respectful address.
  • In literature or historical contexts a closely related form 子息 may appear as an archaic term for son.

Composition

  • 息: breath, life force;
  • 子: child, offspring;
The combination signals a male offspring; in family terms it is used to refer to one’s own son.

Usage

息子 is used in casual and formal Japanese to refer to a male child who is the speaker’s offspring or when discussing someone else’s son. In conversation, 私の息子 or 彼の息子 are common, while 息子さん conveys politeness in talking about another person’s son. In writing, the term typically appears without additional honorifics when the context is clear.

💡 Tips
Breath and child: imagine a father gently breathing life into a single child to represent the idea of a son; the reading musuko is learned as kun’yomi, reinforcing the native, family-centered usage.

Variations

  • 息子 (むすこ) — informal, direct reference to one’s son
  • 息子さん (むすこさん) — polite form used when talking about or to/about someone else’s son
  • 子息 (しそく) — archaic/poetic term for son

Example Phrases

  • 息子は今朝、学校へ行く準備をしていた。
    Musuko wa kesa, gakkou e iku junbi o shite ita.
    My son was getting ready to go to school this morning.
    Lista:
    • 息子 (musuko) – son
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 今朝 (kesa) – this morning
    • 学校へ (gakkou e) – to school
    • 行く (iku) – go
    • 準備 (junbi) – preparation
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • していた (shite ita) – was doing
    「息子」 significa ‘son’; aqui funciona como o tópico com は, implicando ‘meu filho’.
  • 私は公園で小学生の息子と遊ぶ。
    Watashi wa kōen de shōgakusei no musuko to asobu.
    I play with my elementary-school son at the park.
    Lista:
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 公園で (kōen de) – at the park
    • 小学生 (shōgakusei) – elementary school student
    • の (no) – of
    • 息子 (musuko) – son
    • と (to) – with
    • 遊ぶ (asobu) – to play
    Este é o padrão XのY: 「小学生」 modifica o 「息子」 para indicar idade/ano escolar, formando 「小学生の息子」.
息子