親

JLPT N4

Parent, intimate

Readings

On’yomi: シン (shin)

Kun’yomi: おや, した(しい) (oya, shita(shii))

• おや (oya) – parent • したしい (shitashii) – intimate, close • したしむ (shitashimu) – to become familiar with

Structure

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Detailed Explanation

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Mnemonic

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Etymology

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Visual Tip

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Vocabulary

親

おや

parent

両親

りょうしん

parents

親切

しんせつ

kindness

親友

しんゆう

close friend

父親

ちちおや

father

Example Sentences

親に感謝します。

おやにかんしゃします。

I am grateful to my parents.

親切な人です。

しんせつなひとです。

He is a kind person.

Cultural Note

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 In Japanese culture, 親 (oya) is not just “parent” — it’s an emotional word that represents love, duty, and lifelong connection.
• 親孝行 (おやこうこう) — “filial piety,” or showing gratitude and respect to one’s parents, is a core value.
• Children are expected to take care of their parents in old age as a moral responsibility.
• Expressions like
o 親の心、子知らず (おやのこころ、こしらず) – “A child doesn’t understand a parent’s heart,”
remind people of the deep, sometimes unspoken, love of parents.
• In workplaces or schools, the term 親しい関係 (shitashii kankei) expresses warm, friendly human bonds — not only family ties.