Overview
Watashi (私, わたくし, わたし) a first-person pronoun considered to be the most used in Japanese. It is considered the most appropriate first-person pronoun in public.
It is mainly used by women in private situations. Although "私 (わたし)" and "あたし" are clearly differentiated in writing, it is sometimes ambiguous whether it is "わたし" or "あたし" being used in actual speech.
Many men, even adults, use "わたし" in private situations, but it is not often used among family members or close friends, perhaps because it carries a somewhat stiff image.
Originally, the reading of this kanji was "わたくし," and the reading "わたし" was not officially recognized, but when the joyo kanji chart was revised in 2011, the reading "わたし" was added.
In rare cases, the reading "し" is also used.
