Recognise 俺 in complete Japanese words. These examples show I and we in informal speech in context.

The idea

俺 has 10 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 俺（おれ） with 俺たち（おれたち）: learn readings with whole words. N3 is an editorial estimate, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
俺おれI like coffee.
俺たちおれたちWe’re going home now.
俺のおれのThis is my book.
俺をおれをWait for me at the station.

Examples

  • 俺おれはコーヒーが好すきだ。I like coffee.
  • 俺おれたちはもう帰かえる。We’re going home now.
  • これは俺おれの本ほんだ。This is my book.
  • 明日あしたは俺おれが行いく。I’ll go tomorrow.
  • 駅えきで俺おれを待まって。Wait for me at the station.
  • この写真しゃしん、俺おれたちで撮とったよ。We took this photo together.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

俺（おれ） means “I”, not “we”; 俺たち means “we”. 俺 is informal and used mainly by men; it can sound rough, so 私 is safer in formal situations. Compare 俺 with 他: a shared component does not make them interchangeable.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 俺 in hiragana.

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    おれ

    俺 is read おれ. In context: I like coffee.

  2. Write the reading of 俺たち in hiragana.

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    おれたち

    俺たち is read おれたち. In context: We’re going home now.

  3. Write this lesson’s kanji in the blank: ＿（おれ）.

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    俺

    俺 completes 俺, read おれ. In context: I like coffee.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 俺 from memory, and read 俺 and 俺たち aloud. Then check the examples and make a sentence of your own.