This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the Japanese word otousan, including its Japanese definition and translation, example sentences, related expressions and more!
Contents
What does otousan mean?
Otousan (お父さん、おとうさん; not to be confused with ojisan) means father in Japanese. You may have guessed that the san part of the word makes this honorific (i.e., respectful). In fact, children use this when addressing their fathers.
お父さん、ただいま！
Otousan, tadaima!
おとうさん、ただいま!
Dad, I’m home!
Back in the day, children used polite language toward their parents so you can think of otousan as a vestige of Japan’s hierarchical history. These days though, you’re more likely to hear kids shrieking otousan when demanding something at the supermarket or just being bratty!
お父さん、アイスが食べたい！
Otousan, aisu ga tabetai!
おとうさん、アイスがたべたい！
Dad, I want to eat ice cream!
You also use otousan when referring to someone else’s father. Alternatively, otousama (お父様、おとうさま） is an even politer choice, but best reserved for formal occasions.
お父さんはイケメンですね！
Otousan wa ikemen desu ne!
おとうさんはいけめんですね！
Your dad is handsome!
お父様はおいくつですか？
Otousama wa oikutsu desu ka?
おとうさまおいくつですか？
How old is your father?
What is the difference between otousan and chichi?
You can use chichi (父、ちち）to say my father when talking to people outside of your family. The “my” part is understood, and therefore optional.
A lot of younger Japanese do actually use otousan in these situations too, but chichi is the more correct (and polite) usage in this context.
私と父は、とても仲が良いです。
Watashi to chichi wa, totemo naka ga ii desu.
わたしとちちは、とてもなかがいいです。
I get along really well with my father.
辛い時に父はいつも私のことを支えてくれた。
Tsurai toki ni chichi wa itsumo watashi no koto wo sasaete kureta.
つらいときにちちはいつもわたしのことをささえてくれた。
My father was always there for me in hard times.
What about chichioya? Isn’t that more common?
Chichioya (ちちおや、ちちおや） means essentially the same thing as chichi. You use it to talk about your father to non-family members.
私の父親は以前、消防士でした。
Watashi no chichioya wa izen, shouboushi deshita.
わたしのちちおやはいぜん、しょうぼうしでした。
My father used to be a fireman.
父親は少し変わっている人です。
Chichioya wa sukoshi kawatteiru hito desu.
ちちおやは少しかわっているひとです。
My father is a a little bit weird (lit: a weird person)
This is just my personal feeling, but I would say that chichioya is more commonly used in conversation these days than chichi. Chichioya is a little less formal. When writing, it is better to stick to using chichi.
Other words for dad
There are many ways to say father in Japanese, so I won’t try cover them all but here are a couple more examples:
Papa（パパ）
As in English, this is a babyish way to say dad, but some grown-up women do still use it!
Oyaji（親父、おやじ）
A casual way to refer to your dad. Mostly used by men.
More of the good stuff
Want more? I wrote a similar article on the meaning of okaasan (mother).
Rohan's favorite resource for learning Japanese is JapanesePod101, one of the best tools for getting started with the language. Sign up for a free lifetime account here.
- Discover the Best Things to Do near to Tokyo station: A Guide to Tokyo’s bustling center - January 15, 2023
- Maximize your JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) Miles: A Complete Guide on Earning, Redeeming, and Hacks - January 15, 2023
- Discover the Best Things to Do in Harajuku: A Guide to Tokyo’s Trendiest Neighborhood - January 15, 2023
