彼氏(かれし)

かれし
noun
boyfriend
1. boyfriend
A male romantic partner. Used in casual to neutral contexts.
彼氏(かれし)と映画(えいが)を見(み)に行(い)った。
I went to see a movie with my boyfriend.
彼氏(かれし)ができた。
I got a boyfriend.
彼氏(かれし)と別(わか)れて1年(いちねん)になる。
It's been a year since I broke up with my boyfriend.

ETYMOLOGY: 彼(かれ) (he) + 氏(し) (honorific suffix). The 氏(し) suffix adds a slight formal/distancing nuance, but the word itself is casual.

CONTRAST:

  • 彼氏(かれし) ↔ 彼女(かのじょ) (boyfriend ↔ girlfriend)
  • Both are standard casual terms for romantic partners

FORMAL/OTHER EXPRESSIONS:

  • 恋人(こいびと) (lover, sweetheart - gender-neutral, slightly formal)
  • パートナー (partner - modern, gender-neutral)
  • お付(つ)き合(あ)いしている人(ひと) (person I'm dating - polite)
  • 交際(こうさい)相手(あいて) (dating partner - formal)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 彼氏(かれし)ができる (to get a boyfriend)
  • 彼氏(かれし)と別(わか)れる (to break up with one's boyfriend)
  • 彼氏(かれし)と付(つ)き合(あ)う (to date one's boyfriend)
  • 彼氏(かれし)がいる (to have a boyfriend)
  • 彼氏(かれし)を紹介(しょうかい)する (to introduce one's boyfriend)

USAGE NOTE:
彼氏(かれし) is the most common casual term for "boyfriend" in everyday conversation. The term 彼(かれ) alone can also mean "boyfriend" in context, often used when the relationship is already understood.

Related Words

Antonym: 彼女(かのじょ) (girlfriend)
Related: 恋人(こいびと) (lover)
core
Added 2026.1.17 23:46 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
06000/06456_kareshi