坊(ぼう)や

ぼうや

noun

boy; sonny; little boy

1. boy; little boy; sonny

An affectionate or familiar term for a young boy.

坊(ぼう)や、名前(なまえ)は何(なに)というの？

What's your name, little boy?

隣(となり)の坊(ぼう)やが大(おお)きくなった。

The boy next door has grown up.

Referring to a neighborhood child

かわいい坊(ぼう)やですね。

What a cute little boy.

うちの坊(ぼう)やは来年(らいねん)小学校(しょうがっこう)に入(はい)る。

Our little boy starts elementary school next year.

坊(ぼう)やが迷子(まいご)になって泣(な)いていた。

The little boy got lost and was crying.

2. young man (condescending)

Used condescendingly toward an inexperienced young man.

まだまだ坊(ぼう)やだな。

You're still just a kid (inexperienced).

世(よ)の中(なか)はそんなに甘(あま)くないぞ、坊(ぼう)や。

The world isn't that easy, kid.

お前(まえ)はまだ坊(ぼう)やだから分(わ)からないだろう。

You're still just a kid, so you probably wouldn't understand.

坊(ぼう)やには早(はや)い話(はなし)だ。

That's a topic too advanced for a kid like you.

いくつになっても、母(はは)にとっては坊(ぼう)やのままだ。

No matter how old he gets, he's still her little boy to his mother.

坊(ぼう)や comes from 坊(ぼう) (Buddhist monk; boy) + や (affectionate suffix).

REGISTER:
This is a casual, affectionate term used by adults when addressing or referring to young boys. It can sound condescending when used toward older males.

RELATED WORDS:

坊(ぼう)ちゃん - more polite/formal term for a boy, also 'young master'
男(おとこ)の子(こ) - neutral term for 'boy'
少年(しょうねん) - formal term for 'boy' or 'youth'

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

お坊(ぼう)ちゃん - young master; sheltered boy
赤(あか)ん坊(ぼう) - baby (either gender)

Related Words

Related: 少年(しょうねん) (boy (neutral))

core

Added 2026.1.13 16:20 · Revised 2026.5.28 23:41

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