Meaning
The kanji 孫 means grandchild or descendant. It represents the continuation of a family line beyond one's own children — the next link in the generational chain. In Japan, the bond between grandparents (祖父母) and their grandchildren (孫) holds a special place in family life, and the word 孫 carries real warmth.
Structurally, 孫 is a compound ideograph built from two parts: the radical 子 (こ), meaning child, and the component 系 (いと), meaning thread or lineage. The image is of a child connected to the family thread — a child further along the generational line. This visual logic neatly expresses the idea of descent through time.
The kanji has 10 strokes and is taught in Grade 4 of Japanese elementary school, so most native speakers learn it around age 9–10. Its radical is 子, which appears in many kanji related to children, family, and offspring. Beyond its literal meaning, 孫 also carries a broader, more literary sense: any descendant or member of posterity — those who carry a family's legacy forward. This usage turns up in historical texts, classical literature, and family names.
The character also appears in a well-known proper noun: 孫子, the legendary Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War. This shows how 孫 functions as a surname component across East Asian cultures.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi reading of 孫 is ソン. Derived from Middle Chinese, it appears mainly in compound words (jukugo), formal writing, and names. You will encounter it less often than the kun'yomi in everyday speech, but it shows up consistently in formal contexts and proper nouns.
- 子孫 (shison) — descendants, posterity. Used in formal and literary contexts to refer to all future generations of a family or lineage.
- 孫子 (sonshi) — Sun Tzu; in classical usage can also mean grandchildren. The famous Chinese strategist's name uses this on'yomi reading.
- 来孫 (raison) — a great-great-great-grandchild (five generations down). A formal, archaic term used in genealogy.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi reading is まご, by far the most common reading in daily life. When Japanese people talk about their grandchildren in conversation, they use まご. It is warm and direct, fitting for a close family relationship.
- 孫 (mago) — grandchild. The basic, standalone form used in everyday speech.
- お孫さん (omagosan) — someone else's grandchild (polite form). The honorific prefix お and suffix さん are added when referring to another person's grandchild respectfully.
- 孫の手 (mago no te) — a back-scratcher (literally "grandchild's hand"). The name evokes a grandchild's helpful hand reaching those hard-to-scratch spots.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 孫 appears in a range of compound words covering family relationships, lineage, and business hierarchy.
Family relationship terms:
- 孫 (mago) — grandchild (general term)
- 孫息子 (mago musuko) — grandson
- 孫娘 (mago musume) — granddaughter
- お孫さん (omagosan) — someone else's grandchild (polite)
- 初孫 (hatsumago) — first grandchild
Lineage and descent terms:
- 子孫 (shison) — descendants, posterity, offspring
- 末孫 (masson) — the last surviving member of a lineage
- 直孫 (chokuson) — direct descendant
- 外孫 (sotomago) — grandchild on the daughter's side
- 内孫 (uchimago) — grandchild on the son's side
Everyday and idiomatic expressions:
- 孫の手 (mago no te) — back-scratcher (literally "grandchild's hand")
- 孫請け (mago uke) — sub-subcontractor (third-tier contractor in a chain)
- 孫会社 (mago gaisha) — sub-subsidiary (a company owned by a subsidiary)
Example Sentences
祖父は孫の顔を見て、うれしそうに笑った。
Sofu wa mago no kao wo mite, ureshisou ni waratta.
My grandfather smiled happily when he saw his grandchild's face.
彼女には三人の孫がいる。
Kanojo ni wa sannin no mago ga iru.
She has three grandchildren.
孫が生まれて、祖母はとても喜んでいた。
Mago ga umarete, sobo wa totemo yorokondeita.
When the grandchild was born, grandmother was overjoyed.
彼は偉大な武士の子孫だと言われている。
Kare wa idai na bushi no shison da to iwarete iru.
He is said to be a descendant of a great samurai.
祖父母は毎週末、孫たちと公園で遊ぶ。
Sofubo wa mai shuumatsu, magotachi to kouen de asobu.
Every weekend, the grandparents play with their grandchildren in the park.
この会社は孫会社を通して事業を拡大した。
Kono kaisha wa mago gaisha wo tooshite jigyou wo kakudai shita.
This company expanded its business through sub-subsidiaries.
孫の手を使って背中をかいた。
Mago no te wo tsukatte senaka wo kaita.
I scratched my back using a back-scratcher.
孫子の兵法は今でも世界中で読まれている。
Sonshi no heihou wa ima de mo sekaijuu de yomarete iru.
Sun Tzu's Art of War is still read all over the world today.
祖父は初孫の誕生を心から待ち望んでいた。
Sofu wa hatsumago no tanjou wo kokoro kara machinozonde ita.
My grandfather was eagerly looking forward to the birth of his first grandchild.
この家系の子孫は今でも京都に住んでいる。
Kono kakei no shison wa ima de mo Kyouto ni sunde iru.
The descendants of this family lineage still live in Kyoto today.
Memory Tip
Look at the two parts of 孫: the left side is 子 (child), and the right side is 系, suggesting a thread or connection. Picture a child (子) holding a long thread (系) that runs back to their grandparents — a grandchild is the living link between the family's past and future.
For the kun'yomi まご, try associating it with the phrase "my go-to person" — grandchildren often bring the most energy and joy to a grandparent's daily life. For the on'yomi ソン, anchor it through 孫子 (Sun Tzu): his strategies have been handed down across countless generations, making him a fitting symbol for a kanji about lineage and continuity.