男
otoko[o̞to̞ko̞]
The Japanese word for man is 男 (otoko). Wiktionary also lists 男性 (dansei) and 男の人 (otoko no hito).
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 男 | otoko | [o̞to̞ko̞] (narrow) [o̞] (narrow) |
| 男性 | dansei | [dã̠ɰ̃se̞ː] (narrow) |
| 男の人 | otoko no hito | [o̞to̞ko̞ no̞ çi̥to̞] (narrow) |
The term refers to an adult male human. The root 男 is also used in compounds to express concepts such as 'manliness' (男らしさ).
Which one should you use?
The forms differ by their level of politeness and social context. 男性 is a general term for a man, while 男の人 is the standard way to refer to a man in everyday conversation. 男 is a blunt or highly informal way to say 'man' and can sometimes sound crude or overly direct.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
otoko
Did you know?
- There is a historical connection between the word for 'man' (otoko) and the word for 'young woman' (otome). Both words share a similar linguistic root related to youth.
- The word 男性 is frequently used in formal documents and public announcements, such as on restroom signs, where 男の人 would be considered too conversational.
Examples in context
- 男になれよ。Be a man.This sentence shows how to use 男 to encourage someone to be manly.Tatoeba #3480420 by arnab, translation #2221008 by Hybrid
- トムは男前だ。Tom is a handsome man.This sentence uses 男 within a word meaning handsome.Tatoeba #2060614 by bunbuku, translation #1025172 by CK
- 彼は勇敢な男だ。He is a brave man.This sentence uses 男 to describe a brave man.Tatoeba #99348 by bunbuku, translation #304349 by CK
- 368 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are looking at a photo of a stranger.
- 結衣 Yuiこの写真の男は誰？Kono shashin no otoko wa dare?Who is the man in this photo?
- 陽太 Yota僕の父親だよ。Boku no chichioya dayo.That's my father.
- 結衣 Yuiかっこいい男だね。Kakkoii otoko dane.He's a handsome man.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとう、結衣。Arigato, Yui.Thank you, Yui.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries 男, 男性, 男の人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 男, 男の人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
