Stroke order
私 (Kangxi radical 115, 禾 +2, 7 strokes, cangjie input 竹木戈 (HDI ), four-corner 22930 , composition ⿰禾 厶 )
Kangxi Dictionary: page 849 , character 5
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 24913
Dae Jaweon: page 1271, character 2
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2589, character 6
Unihan data for U+79C1
Old Chinese
私
*sil
厶
*sil
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声 , OC *sil ) : semantic 禾 ( “ grain ” ) + phonetic 厶 ( OC *sil) – private grain or field.
Displaced the original form 厶 .
Note :
si1 - vernacular;
so1 - literary.
Note :
sai - vernacular;
sir/su - literary.
Note :
se1 - literary;
sai1 - vernacular.
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
私
Reading #
1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
sī
Middle Chinese
‹ sij ›
Old Chinese
/*[s]əj/
English
private
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
私
Reading #
1/1
No.
11949
Phonetic component
厶
Rime group
脂
Rime subdivision
1
Corresponding MC rime
私
Old Chinese
/*sil/
私
self ; personal ; private
私 人 ― sī rén ― personal
私 有 ― sī yǒu ― private
selfish
自私 ― zìsī ― selfish
(Can we add an example for this sense?) ( Classical , humble ) first-person singular pronoun : I ; me
illegal or secret goods
走私 ― zǒusī ― to smuggle
stealthily ; secretly
私 语 ― sī yǔ ― to whisper
( obsolete ) Used by women to refer to their sister's husband
reproductive organs ; genitals
( Internet slang ) Short for 私聊 (sīliáo , “to PM , to DM ”).
私
(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji )
Shift from watakushi below.[ 1] [ 2]
This reading was already prevalent in early modern times, possibly around the mid-late Muromachi to early-Edo period .
私( わたし ) • (watashi )
( polite ) first-person singular pronoun : I , me
私( わたし ) はイギリス人( じん ) です。Watashi wa Igirisu-jin desu.I am British.
Watashi is the usual polite term for referring to oneself.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:私 .
Japanese first-person pronouns
Japanese first-person pronouns by speakers and situations according to Yuko Saegusa, Concerning the First Personal Pronoun of Native Japanese Speakers (2009)
First-person pronouns by elementary school pupils (2008)
Speaker
Situation
1
2
3
Female
To friends
うち ( uchi ) 49%
First name 26%
あたし ( atashi ) 15%
In the family
First name 33%
あたし ( atashi ) 29%
うち ( uchi ) 23%
In a class
わたし ( watashi ) 86%
あたし ( atashi ) 7%
うち ( uchi ) 6%
To an unknown visitor
わたし ( watashi ) 75%
あたし ( atashi ) , first name, うち ( uchi ) 8% each
To the class teacher
わたし ( watashi ) 66%
First name 13%
あたし ( atashi ) 9%
Male
To friends
おれ ( ore ) 72%
ぼく ( boku ) 19%
First name 4%
In the family
おれ ( ore ) 62%
ぼく ( boku ) 23%
うち ( uchi ) 6%
In a class
ぼく ( boku ) 85%
おれ ( ore ) 13%
First name, nickname 1% each
To an unknown visitor
ぼく ( boku ) 64%
おれ ( ore ) 26%
First name 4%
To the class teacher
ぼく ( boku ) 67%
おれ ( ore ) 27%
First name 3%
First-person pronouns by university students (2009)
Speaker
Situation
1
2
3
Female
To friends
うち ( uchi ) 39%
あたし ( atashi ) 30%
わたし ( watashi ) 22%
In the family
あたし ( atashi ) 28%
First name 27%
うち ( uchi ) 18%
In a class
わたし ( watashi ) 89%
あたし ( atashi ) 7%
自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 3%
To an unknown visitor
わたし ( watashi ) 81%
あたし ( atashi ) 10%
自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 6%
To the class teacher
わたし ( watashi ) 77%
あたし ( atashi ) 17%
自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 7%
Male
To friends
おれ ( ore ) 87%
うち ( uchi ) 4%
わたし ( watashi ) , 自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 2% each
In the family
おれ ( ore ) 88%
ぼく ( boku ) , 自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 5% each
In a class
わたし ( watashi ) 48%
自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 28%
ぼく ( boku ) 22%
To an unknown visitor
ぼく ( boku ) 36%
自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 29%
わたし ( watashi ) 22%
To the class teacher
自分( じぶん ) ( jibun ) 38%
ぼく ( boku ) 29%
わたし ( watashi ) 22%
From Old Japanese 私 ( watakusi ) .
A surface analysis suggests a compound term. However, no likely etyma are known.
From first-person pronoun 我 ( wa , “ I , me ” ) + takusi : although the first element seems likely, the original meaning of watakushi was “private ”, as opposed to “public ”, with no first-person pronoun usage until the late 13th century.
From wata + kusi : the only phonetic matches are 綿 ( wata , “ cotton ; cotton batting ” ) , 腸 ( wata , “ guts , one's innards ” , likely derived from the “batting” sense ) , 海 ( wata , “ sea , ocean ” ) + 串 ( kusi , “ skewer ” ) , 奇し ( kusi , “ magic , fantastic , supernatural ” , adjective ) , 酒 ( kusi , “ alcoholic beverage ” , likely derived from the “magic” sense ) , 櫛 ( kusi , “ comb ” ) .
From wataku + si : no such word wataku appears to exist.
From wa + ta + ku + si : unknown.
The meaning evolved over time from “private ” or “privatization ”, to refer to things that are personal , to refer to one's own person , and then finally to serve as a generic first-person pronoun. The full form watakushi is still used in modern Japanese as a formal, highly polite first-person pronoun. The abbreviated form watashi is now the most common and neutrally polite first-person pronoun.
私( わたくし ) • (watakushi )
a personal or private matter
( by extension ) selfishness
Synonyms: 自分勝手 ( jibun katte ) , 私利私欲 ( shiri shiyoku )
Derived terms
私( わたくし ) する ( watakushisuru )
私( わたくし ) 商( あきな ) い ( watakushi akinai )
私( わたくし ) 雨( あめ ) ( watakushi ame , “ sudden rain shower falling in just a small area” )
私( わたくし ) 戦( いくさ ) , 私( わたくし ) 軍( いくさ ) ( watakushi ikusa , “ private feud ” )
私( わたくし ) 銀( がね ) , 私( わたくし ) 金( がね ) ( watakushigane , “ personal money, secret savings , financial nest egg ” )
私( わたくし ) 事( ごと ) ( watakushigoto )
私( わたくし ) 戦( たたか ) い ( watakushi tatakai , “ private feud ” )
私( わたくし ) 戯( たわぶ ) れ ( watakushi tawabure , “ chatting up a go-between or mediator , as an aside to the main issue being mediated” )
私( わたくし ) • (watakushi )
( formal ) first-person singular pronoun : I , me
Watakushi is the formal term, only used in certain circumstances, such as by TV announcers or public figures such as politicians. Conversely, it is too formal for casual conversation for men, where terms like 俺 ( ore ) are preferred.
/si/ → /ɕi/
From Middle Chinese 私 (MC sij ).
私( し ) • (shi )
personal , private
secret
Derived terms
私( し ) 愛( あい ) ( shiai , “ favoritism , partiality ; a secret love for a woman; the woman so loved” )
私( し ) 安( あん ) 警( けい ) 察( さつ ) ( shian-keisatsu , “ private police ” )
私( し ) 案( あん ) ( shian , “ private plan or proposal ” )
私( し ) 意( い ) ( shī , “ personal opinion ; bias ; selfishness ” )
私( し ) 印( いん ) ( shīn , “ private sigil , signet , stamp , or seal ” )
私( し ) 印( いん ) 偽( ぎ ) 造( ぞう ) ( shīngizō , “ creating a copy of someone else's sigil to forge their stamp ” )
私( し ) 営( えい ) ( shiei , “ private operation , privately operated ” )
私( し ) 営( えい ) 鉄( てつ ) 道( どう ) ( shiei tetsudō , “ privately-operated railway , private rails ” )
私( し ) 営( えい ) 田( でん ) ( shieiden ) : in the Heian Period, fields used for large-scale private farming by powerful clans, rather than public farming by the state
私( し ) 益( えき ) ( shieki , “ private or individual profit or gain ” )
私( し ) 謁( えつ ) ( shietsu , “ audience with the emperor regarding a private matter ; a private rather than public request” )
私( し ) 怨( えん ) ( shien , “ private grudge , hatred , ill will ” )
私( し ) 恩( おん ) ( shion , “ favor or duty owed to an individual” )
私( し ) 家( か ) ( shika , “ one's own home; an individual's home, as opposed to the palace or an office ” )
私( し ) 家( か ) 集( しゅう ) ( shikashū ) : in the Edo Period and earlier, an individual's collection or anthology of poetry
私( し ) 家( か ) 版( ばん ) ( shikaban , “ self-publishing , generally without profit motive and with limited distribution ; private printing or private edition ” )
私( し ) 学( がく ) ( shigaku , “ individual's school of thought ” )
私( し ) 学( がっ ) 校( こう ) ( shigakkō , “ private school ” )
私( し ) 学( がく ) 助( じょ ) 成( せい ) ( shigaku josei , “ government subsidization of private education ” )
私( し ) 感( かん ) ( shikan , “ one's personal feeling about something ” )
私( し ) 間( かん ) 法( ほう ) ( shikanhō , “ conflict of laws; private international law ” )
私( し ) 企( き ) 業( ぎょう ) ( shikigyō , “ private enterprise ; privately-owned company” )
私( し ) 記( き ) ( shiki , “ private record of something ” )
私( し ) 擬( ぎ ) -憲( けん ) 法( ぽう ) ( shigikenpō , “ privately drafted constitution ” , more specifically the Japanese constitution created during 1880-1887 )
私( し ) 義( ぎ ) 務( む ) ( shi gimu , “ duty or obligation arising from private law ” )
私( し ) 議( ぎ ) ( shigi , “ secret criticism , badmouthing ; personal or private opinion” )
私( し ) 教( きょう ) 類( るい ) 聚( じゅう ) ( shikyō-ruijū , Japan's oldest collection of moral instructions, written by Kibi Makibi in the 700s )
私( し ) 業( ぎょう ) ( shigyō , “ work done as an individual; work done for individual profit ” )
私( し ) 曲( きょく ) ( shikyoku , “ unjust act committed solely to benefit oneself” )
私( し ) 金( きん ) ( shikin , “ private money ; money owned by an individual ” )
私( し ) 刑( けい ) ( shikei , “ punishment meted out by vigilante or mob justice ” )
私( し ) 恵( けい ) ( shikei , “ private favor ” )
私( し ) 経( けい ) 済( ざい ) ( shikeizai , “ private economy : economic dealings between private individuals or companies ” )
私( し ) 計( けい ) ( shikei , “ one's own thoughts and opinions ; one's own schemes or plans ” )
私( し ) 隙( げき ) ( shigeki , “ private discord ” )
私( し ) 権( けん ) ( shiken , “ private or personal rights ” )
私( し ) 見( けん ) ( shiken , humble word for “one's own personal opinions ”)
私( し ) 語( ご ) ( shigo , “ whisper , whispering , private conversation ” )
私( し ) 交( こう ) ( shikō , “ personal or private friendship or socializing ” )
私( し ) 考( こう ) ( shikō , “ one's own personal thoughts ” )
私( し ) 行( こう ) ( shikō , “ private actions in one's own life; secret act; going out for personal reasons; sneaking out ” )
私( し ) 田( でん ) ( shiden )
私( し ) 稲( とう ) ( shitō ) : in the Nara and Heian periods, rice plants owned by an individual rather than by the state
私( し ) 法( ほう ) ( shihō )
私( し ) • (shi )
a personal or private matter
selfishness
privacy , secrecy
( women's speech , obsolete ) a brother-in-law
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
【あたくし 】
[pronoun] more polite form of あたし ( atashi )
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry: あし
(The following entry is uncreated: あし .)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
【わい 】
[pronoun] ( dialect , Kansai , Kagoshima ; or Internet slang ) I , me ( first-person pronoun, mainly used by males )
[pronoun] you ( second-person pronoun, used when addressing an equal or inferior )
[particle] ( dated or dialectal ) A particle used in the end of sentences to indicate admiration or emotion. Slightly stronger than わ ( wa ) .
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
【儂 わし 】 H
[pronoun] ( mainly Western Japan ) I , me
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling ( more common ) of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry: わたい
(The following entry is uncreated: わたい .)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
【わちき 】
[pronoun] ( archaic ) I ; me ( used by prostitutes in the Edo period; sometimes used by tradesmen's daughters )
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry: わて
(The following entry is uncreated: わて .)
For pronunciation and definitions of 私 – see the following entry.
(This term, 私 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
^ Matsumura, Akira (1995 ) 大辞泉 [Daijisen ] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo : Shogakukan , →ISBN
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Matsumura, Akira , editor (2006 ), 大辞林 [Daijirin ] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo : Sanseidō , →ISBN
↑ 3.0 3.1 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute , editor (1998 ), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary ] (in Japanese), Tokyo : NHK Publishing, Inc. , →ISBN
私 (eumhun 사사 사 ( sasa sa ) )
hanja form? of 사 ( “ private , personal ” )
私 (watakusi ) (kana わたくし )
a personal or private matter
Japanese: 私 ( watakushi, watashi )
私 : Hán Nôm readings: tư , tây
private , personal