子息(しそく)

しそく
noun
(another person's) son
formalpolitefamily
1. (another person's) son
A formal, respectful term for someone else's son, used in writing or polite speech. Often appears in news, invitations, and business correspondence. Frequently prefixed with ご as ご子息(しそく).
ご子息(しそく)にお会(あ)いした。
I met your son.
社長(しゃちょう)のご子息(しそく)が新(あたら)しい支店(してん)を任(まか)された。
The president's son was put in charge of the new branch.
結婚式(けっこんしき)でご子息(しそく)の晴(は)れ姿(すがた)を拝見(はいけん)できて光栄(こうえい)でした。
It was an honor to see your son in his wedding attire.

Used only in reference to someone else's son — never one's own. Almost always appears with the honorific prefix ご as ご子息(しそく).

Common collocations

  • ご子息(しそく): your/his/her son (polite)
  • ご子息(しそく)様(さま): even more polite, used in formal writing
  • ご子息(しそく)を紹介(しょうかい)する: to introduce one's son (when speaking of another's)

Similar words

  • 息子(むすこ): son — neutral term; used for one's own or another's son in casual speech
  • ご令息(れいそく): your son — even more formal than ご子息(しそく)
  • 愚息(ぐそく): my (humble) son — used by parents to refer to their own son humbly

Register

Formal/written. Avoid in casual conversation, where 息子(むすこ)さん is more natural.

Related Words

Compare: 息子(むすこ) (son)
general
Added 2026.6.7 12:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
28500/28912_shisoku