Before I search on the internet, I didn’t know there are some many different ways to express ’I’ in Japanese.
I just know there are different between girls and boys. But young and old people also express ‘I’ in different ways. And also in a polite way. It’s really make people confuse.
Here is what I have searched on the internet.
わたし is the most common way to say ‘I’ . This is a polite way which they usually say it in front of the elderly and their boss but not their friends.
Most of the girl use わたくしAND あたし。
But why?
あたし is a more common way which they say it in front of their friends.
わたくし（私）also is a common way and it pronoun similar as わたし
In the boy way, they usually use ぼく（僕）、おれ（俺）
These two words always appear in the song.
ぼく（僕）
It’s common in boys who are under age or say it in front of their family. However, nowadays girl also say BOKU recently. And in some girl singer pop songs, they also say BOKU as well. It’s being more popular.
But in the formal place, people would not use BOKU. Because people will think that you are IMMATURE. (which I search on the internet)
おれ（俺）
Compare with BOKU.
It’s impolite and rough. Boys usually say it in front of friends. If you use it in the formal party or in front of your boss, you will die immediately. (hahahaha…-_-‘)
The other way I search.
おれさま（俺様）
People who use ORESAMA usually are self-important and arrogant.
In Cantonese means 「本大爺」
Example: In doraemon ジャイアン(技安)
じぶん（自分）
Boys who play sports usually say JIBUN.
うち
Some places like KINKI (近畿, 關西) women usually use UCHI
わし（儂）
In some places like 中国、近畿、九州 are quite common.
In Cantonese means 「老子」. (OLD MAN)
Moreover, some Japan artists use their name as ‘I’. Especially the young artists.
However, I would use あたし OR わたし to express myself. Because this is the most common way.
ARASHI-感謝カンゲキ雨嵐 (感謝感激暴風雨)
this is one of my favourite songs from ARASHI
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/FiYhMGVvvoI/
Smile Again ありがとう
Smile Again a ri ga to u
Smile Again 何度でも
Smile Again na n do de mo
立ち上がれる 氣がしてる 僕の勇氣は泉
ta chi a ga re ru ki ga shi te ru bo ku no yu u ki wa i zu mi
Smile Again ひとりでは
Smile Again hi to ri de wa
Smile Again いられない
Smile Again i ra re na i
とまどうほど 切實な 祈るような 戀は 嵐
to ma do u ho do se tu zi tsu na i no ru yo u na ko i wa a ra shi
Reference:
hahaha~ I remember that I really still tend to use おれ whenever I speak Japanese. however - I've never really died, Helen-san! But yes, it can be rude at times. maybe I should be MORE rude - i might start using おれ-さま, then!
回覆刪除Nice work with finding the Cantonese equivalents. I did not know that it could still be related to Japanese, but isn't it that in Cantonese there are not too many ways to refer to yourself but "我“, right?
Helen-san,
回覆刪除Your findings are pretty interesting, especially when I saw what you have written for "わし"! The cantonese meaning you have mentioned really surprised me! For what I know, using "老子" in China may considered as rude, but I don't know if the japanese would think in the same way or not XD
This is a great piece of work, thanks very much :)
do u think chow kwan yee whould use ''ore''? haha
回覆刪除and why dont u try using ur name instead of using ''watashi''
e.g. ''helen は疲れた'' in front of bf AHAHA