君 means “you, ruler”

きみ · kimi

Also: mister, male name suffix

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

きみ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

クン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 7 strokes

The story

A hand holding a staff of office (尹) over a mouth (口) giving orders: 君 began as the ruler, still heard in 君が代, the national anthem. Today it is a familiar "you," and after a name, read くん, it marks a boy or a junior: 田中君.

Used in 君 (kimi, you), 君たち (kimitachi, you all), and 君が代 (kimigayo, Japan's national anthem)

More from People Around You

• 娘 daughter
• 皆 everyone
• 坊 boy
• 達 plural (people)
• 他 other
• 客 guest
• 師 teacher
• 彼 he
• 婦 woman
• 徒 pupil

Learn 君 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.