彼

kare
pronoun★Beginner
informal

He; a male third-person pronoun referring to a specific man or boy

彼が私の友達です

He is my friend.

彼に会いたい

I want to see him.

💡

Used to refer to a male person who is not the speaker or listener. Often used in casual conversation.

Collocations

彼氏boyfriend彼に会うto meet him彼を知っているto know him

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

彼氏phrase
boyfriend
彼に会うphrase
to meet him

💡Pro Tip

Gender-Specific Pronoun

'彼' is strictly used for males. For females, use '彼女' (kanojo).

⚡Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

In formal writing or speech, consider using '彼の方' or '彼の人' instead of '彼' to sound more respectful.

📖Word Origin

Derived from the Old Japanese 'kare,' meaning 'that man' or 'that person,' originally used to refer to a distant male figure.

📝Usage Notes

In formal contexts, '彼' is often replaced with '彼の方' or '彼の人' to sound more polite. In written Japanese, '彼' is commonly used in both formal and informal settings.

Word Breakdown

彼
he
root
和英辞典