1.
son (honorific); your son
An honorific term used to refer to someone else's son, showing respect toward the person being addressed and their family. Never used for one's own son.
ご子息はお元気ですか。
Is your son doing well?
ご子息が大学に合格されたそうですね。
I hear your son passed the university entrance exam.
ご子息が立派に成長されて、さぞお喜びのことでしょう。
Your son has grown into a fine person — you must be very proud.
Composed of the honorific prefix ご and 子息 (son). This is a formal, respectful way to refer to another person's son, typically used in business settings, formal letters, and polite conversation with social superiors. For one's own son, use the humble term 愚息 or simply 息子.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ご子息の就職: your son's employment
- ご子息の結婚: your son's marriage
- ご子息にもよろしく: please give my regards to your son
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 息子さん: your son — polite but less formal than ご子息
- 御令息: your son — even more formal and literary
- 愚息: my (foolish) son — humble term for one's own son
REGISTER:
Used in formal and business contexts. In everyday conversation, 息子さん is more natural.