我が・我・吾が|わがwaga[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
我が我が is the most common form and the recommended default for beginners. It is written with kanji followed by kana.
我我 is less common than 我が and is written entirely in kanji. Use it when encountering this spelling rather than choosing it as a beginner’s default.
吾が吾が is less common than both 我が and 我 and combines kanji and kana. Treat it as an alternative spelling rather than your default choice.
Definitions
- pre-noun adjectivalmy; our; one's own
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related自己じこNeutralRefers to the self itself and mostly forms compounds such as 「自己紹介」; 「我が」 is a pre-noun word that modifies nouns to mean my or our.
- Related自らみずからNeutralMeans oneself or doing something in person, as in 「自ら行う」; 「我が」 only modifies nouns, as in 「我が国」.
- Related自身じしんNeutralOften follows a noun to emphasize it, as in 「彼自身」; 「我が」 instead modifies the noun it precedes.
- Related本人ほんにんNeutralRefers to the person in question, the party directly involved; 「我が」 is a first-person possessive.
- Related自分自身じぶんじしんNeutralEmphasizes the self itself; 「我が」 is a written, old-fashioned way to say my or our.
- Related自家じかNeutralMeans one's own house, or appears in compounds like 「自家製」 and 「自家用」; 「我が家」 is simply 「我が」 plus 「家」.
- Related自分じぶんNeutralThe everyday word for oneself; 「我が」 is more written and formal, seen mostly in 「我が国」 and 「我が社」.
Use 「我が」 in fixed, solemn phrases such as 「我が国」, 「我が家」 and 「我が社」. For everyday reference to oneself pick 「自分」, for emphasis 「自身」, for doing something in person 「自ら」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
