Overview
A prince (王子, ōji) generally refers to a young man (son) in a royal family, but this varies from country to country, and there are other patterns in which the son of an emperor becomes a king. In the case of a legitimate son (successor), he becomes a crown prince.
In European fairy tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid, the prince often appears in a role that influences the fate of the female protagonist.