Oji

Oji is a romanization that can refer to several different words and proper nouns in Japanese, and it appears in various unrelated contexts. Because romaji often omits diacritics, the same spelling can represent multiple readings and kanji combinations.

In Japanese, oji can denote kinship or a title depending on the kanji. The reading oji is commonly used for the kinship term meaning uncle, written with characters such as 叔父 or 伯父. Another common reading is ōji, used for 王子 meaning prince. The macron in ōji helps distinguish these meanings in formal romanization, but the unmarked form oji is widely encountered in everyday text.

Geography and place names: Ōji or Oji appears in the names of several places, districts, and railway stations across Japan. The exact meaning or origin of a specific place name depends on the kanji chosen for it, and romanization without diacritics can obscure which reading is intended.

Organizations and brands: The term also occurs in corporate names and branding in Japan, including in the papermaking and related industries. For example, Oji Paper and related entities have used the name as part of their corporate identity, reflecting historical ties to regional names and kanji readings.

Usage and interpretation: In text without kanji, context is needed to determine whether oji refers to an uncle, a prince, a place name, or a company. The distinction is typically clarified by surrounding words, kanji, or the broader topic of discussion. See also references to ojibwe for a different linguistic family, which is unrelated to the Japanese usages of oji.