田舎者
inakamono[ina̠ka̠mo̞no̞]
The English phrase "country bumpkin" is translated into Japanese as 田舎者 (inakamono). If unsure, use 田舎者. Wiktionary also lists お上り様 (o-nobori-san).
Meaning: unsophisticated person from a rural area (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 田舎者 | inakamono | [ina̠ka̠mo̞no̞] (narrow) |
| お上り様 | o-nobori-san |
The term is used to describe an unsophisticated person from a rural area. It is often used to imply that a person lacks social polish.
Which one should you use?
While 田舎者 describes a person from the country, お上り様 is an ironic term used to describe someone from the country who has arrived in the city and is acting like a naive newcomer.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term 田舎者 is often used pejoratively to imply that a person is unsophisticated or lacks social polish. Another related term, 田舎人, is a direct and informal way to describe someone from the countryside.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 田舎者 does not change its form for the plural. The context of the sentence determines whether it refers to one person or multiple people.
How do you pronounce it?
inakamono
Did you know?
- The term お上り様 originally referred to people traveling to the capital of Kyoto. The word 上る means 'to go up' because traveling toward the Emperor was historically viewed as moving upward in status and geography.
- Using 田舎者 to describe oneself can actually be a clever social strategy in Japan to appear humble and approachable to city dwellers.
- Replacing the suffix 者 with 人 to create 田舎人 changes the word from a judgment about a person's character to a neutral description of their origin.
Examples in context
- あの人は本当に田舎人なの？すごく面白いじゃん。Is that person really a country bumpkin? They're so funny!
- 彼は自分が田舎者だと言っている。Kare wa jibun ga inakamon da to itte iru.He says that he is a country bumpkin.
- 田舎者だと馬鹿にしないでください。Inakamon da to baka ni shinaide kudasai.Please do not make fun of me as a country bumpkin.
- 都会の人は田舎者を笑うことがある。Tokai no hito wa inakamon o warau koto ga aru.People in the city sometimes laugh at country bumpkins.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are visiting Tokyo for the first time.
- 蓮 Renビルばかりで、圧倒されるよ。Biru bakari de, attou sareru yo.There are so many buildings, it's overwhelming.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮、田舎者みたいな顔してるよ。Ren, inakashamono mitai na kao shiteru yo.Ren, you have a look like a country bumpkin.
- 蓮 Renひどいな。そんな言い方しなくていいだろ。Hidoi na. Sonna iikata shinakute ii daro.That's mean. You don't have to put it that way.
- 陽葵 Himari冗談だよ。一緒に楽しもう。Joudan da yo. Issho ni tanoshimou.I'm just kidding. Let's enjoy it together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “country bumpkin” translations and entries 田舎者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
