子供
こども
hepburn kodomo
child, children
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
Examples
- 子供が公園で遊んでいます。Children are playing in the park.
- 子供の時、よくここに来ました。When I was a child, I often came here.
Collocations
子供がいる (have children)子供の時 (when I was a child)子供向け (for children)小さい子供子供たち (children plural)
Mnemonic
子供 kodomo — 子 (child) + 供 (companion/serve). Both singular and plural. The 子 alone appears in 男の子 (boy), 女の子 (girl). The phrase 子供の時 kodomo no toki = "when I was a child" is a high-frequency reminiscence opener.
Quick check
How to say "I have three children" naturally?