王様(おうさま)

おうさま
noun
king
formalhonorificperson
1. king
A male monarch or ruler of a kingdom.
王様(おうさま)が国(くに)を治(おさ)めている。
The king rules the country.
「裸(はだか)の王様(おうさま)」という物語(ものがたり)。
The story called 'The Emperor's New Clothes'.
王様(おうさま)ゲームをする。
To play King's Game.
Party game
昔(むかし)の王様(おうさま)は大(おお)きな城(しろ)に住(す)んでいた。
Kings of old lived in large castles.
子(こ)どもたちは王様(おうさま)とお姫様(ひめさま)の話(はなし)が大好(だいす)きだ。
Children love stories about kings and princesses.

王様(おうさま) is 王(おう) (king) with the honorific suffix 様(さま). It has a warm, story-like tone and is the most common word for "king" in everyday speech and children's stories.

Formality levels

  • 王様(おうさま): king (everyday, stories, honorific)
  • 王(おう): king (plain, used in compounds)
  • 国王(こくおう): king (formal, news, political context)

Related royalty

Cultural note

王様(おうさま)ゲーム is a popular Japanese party/drinking game where one person draws the "king" stick and gives commands to the other players.

Related Words

Related: 女王(じょおう) (queen)
Related: 王子(おうじ) (prince)
Related: 王女(おうじょ) (princess)
Related: 皇帝(こうてい) (emperor)
Related: 天皇(てんのう) (Emperor of Japan)
Related: 王国(おうこく) (kingdom)
core
Added 2026.1.9 21:30 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02
01500/01902_ousama