大人
otona[o̞to̞na̠]
The English phrase 'adult' can be translated into Japanese as 大人 (otona). Wiktionary also lists 成人 (seijin).
Meaning: fully grown human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 大人 | otona | [o̞to̞na̠] (narrow) [ɯ̟ɕi] (narrow) |
| 成人 | seijin | [se̞ːʑĩɴ] (narrow) |
The word 大人 is the general, everyday term for an adult used in daily life and conversation. It is also the standard term used when referring to adult pricing for items like tickets at museums, zoos or movies. Additionally, the related term 大人っぽい is used informally to describe someone who has qualities or characteristics associated with being an adult.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 大人 is composed of the kanji for 'big' (大) and 'person' (人).
Which one should you use?
大人 is the common, everyday word for an adult, whereas 成人 is a more formal or technical term used in legal, administrative or official contexts to refer specifically to someone who has reached the age of majority.
How do you pronounce it?
otona
Did you know?
- The term 大人買い refers to the act of using an adult's disposable income to buy expensive toys or collectibles in bulk.
- In Japanese culture, behaving like an 大人 often involves 'reading the air' and suppressing one's own desires for the sake of group harmony.
- In some contexts, the word 大人 can refer to a person of great virtue or a 'superior man' rather than just someone who has aged.
Examples in context
- 君はもう大人だ。You are now an adult.This sentence shows how to state that someone is an adult using 大人.Tatoeba #177535 by bunbuku, translation #16387 by CK
- 僕ももう大人だ。I'm an adult now as well.This sentence demonstrates using 大人 to express that the speaker is an adult.Tatoeba #3366885 by arnab, translation #8395041 by Clepsydris
- 大人２枚ください。Two adult tickets, please.This sentence shows how to use 大人 when requesting adult-priced tickets.Tatoeba #137485 by bunbuku, translation #1892806 by CK
- 大人になることは、時として難しいことかもしれませんが、それは成長の証でもあります。Becoming an adult may sometimes be difficult, but it is a sign of growth.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are talking about their future goals.
- 陽太 Yota早く大人になりたいね。Hayaku otona ni naritai ne.I want to become an adult soon, don't I?
- 陽葵 Himariでも、大人は大変そうだよ。Demo, otona wa taihen sou dayo.But being an adult seems tough.
- 陽太 Yota自由になれるからいいと思う。Jiyuu ni nareru kara ii to omou.I think it's good because you can be free.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太は考えすぎだよ。Youta wa kangaesugi dayo.Yota, you're overthinking it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “adult” translations and entries 大人, 成人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
