| Expressions for I |
word for I
in chinese
character | pronunciation | direct meaning | situation to be used | male | female |
 | watashi
watakushi
(atashi)
(asshi) | I | This I is most proper expression in any situation for both male and female. The pronunciation "watakushi" sounds sort of formal and square but "watashi" is well used as formal expression. "atashi" is rather colloquial pronunciation. But females usually use this pronunciation because it sounds soft. "asshi" is a very colloquial pronunciation used by merchant and craftsmen. | standard | standard |
 | atashi
watashi | concubine | can be distinguished only in literal expression and used only for female. This character has amiable and sexy impression. | never | yes |
 | ore
(ora)
(oira) | I | never used at official occasion or to a superior person. It is I for male. But in local tongue old females use this pronunciation. Pronunciation "ora" is heard only in local tongue. "oira" is an old style pronunciation sometimes used in comedies. | yes | no |
 | boku | servant | This I is for use to a superior person. But sometimes, it gives too intimate impression and used within well acquainted persons. This is the typical I of boys. | yes | never |
 | washi
(wasshi) | I | This I sounds sort of arrogance mainly used to inferiors. The colloquial pronunciation used by craftsmen has no impression of arrogance. The pronunciation "washi" is probably an abbreviation of "watashi". It is said in older days, this word was mainly used by females. Nowadays only males use this word. | yes | in olderdays |
 
| ware | I | This I is never used in conversation but only in literal expression. The plural form  "wareware" is used to demonstrate the unity of a group. is a character that shows the continuation of the same character. Sometimes plural form is formed by it . However never or . | no gender but rather males are imaged |
  | jibun | myself,
my part | Some people use this I to his superiors. This I has a tone of stressing self identity | yes | never |
  | shohsei | smalllife | Actually this I means humble myself. Not used in conversation but in literal expression. | yes | no |
 | wagahai | a guylike me | meaning is like humble myself but sounds stressing self identity. There is a famous nobel by Sohseki Natsume titled "Wagahai am a cat", a diary of a cat observing persons at a house. | yes | no |
  | uchi | (my)house | broadly used local tongue in western region, mostly used by females in stead of "atashi" This I has very intimate impression. Originally "uchi" is thought as the noun of 'in' or 'inner' then the meaning of 'something belong in me' or 'something belong to me', typically a 'home', 'house'. 'I' is also a typical belonging to 'me'. | rarely | yes |
  | wate
(ate) | I | a local tongue in Kansai area. What is strange about this word is that it sounds decent if used by people of Kyoto area while it sounds vulgar if used by other area like Osaka. It is a standard I for Maiko the dancer (the highest grade of Geisha girl)
06/Jan/17 Recently someone came to this page searching for the literal meaning of Geisha. The meaning of Gei is art and the one of sha is person. So Geisha means artist but used only for female entertainers. | yes | yes |
 | wai | I | a local tongue in Kansai area as rather vulgar expression. Strangely enough, this word is also used for you. You must discern the two meaning according to the situation. | yes | rarely |
  | temae
(teme-e) | front | An old word used by merchant and craftman. This word is also used for I (the guy in front of you) and you (the guy in front of me). "temee" is a rude variation. | yes | rarely |
  | ora | I | A local tongue in central Japan still used by old. | yes | yes |
| oira | I | An old local tongue in central japan used among boys. It is a variation of "ora" | yes | never |
 | wachiki | I | An old word used by Geisha girl in Edo era | no | yes |
  | sessha | unskilledperson | Samurai the warriors used this word. | Samurai | never |
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