イケメン
ikemen[ike̞mẽ̞ɴ]
The Japanese phrase for "very handsome" is イケメン (ikemen).
イケメン is used to describe a man who is physically very attractive. While it primarily refers to physical attractiveness, it also implies a certain level of style or 'coolness' in one's demeanor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
イケメン is a colloquialism and is more common in casual conversation or media than formal descriptions of appearance. For a polite way to say "very handsome", you can use 非常にハンサムです. For a casual way to say "You're very handsome", you can use めちゃくちゃハンサムだね.
How do you pronounce it?
ikemen
When do people say it?
To show excitement about someone's attractive appearance, you can use the informal expression 超イケメンだよ.
Did you know?
- Japanese fans often use the term 顔面国宝 meaning 'national treasure face' to describe a man whose beauty is so extreme it should be protected by the state.
- The word イケメン is a portmanteau of イケてる, meaning 'cool', and the English word 'men'.
- The root word イケてる comes from the verb イケる (ikeru), which literally means 'to be able to go' or 'to be good'.
Examples in context
- お兄ちゃん、めちゃくちゃハンサムだよ！Big brother, you're extremely handsome!
- 彼は本当にイケメンですね。Kare wa hontō ni ikemen desu ne.He is really handsome, isn't he?
- あの俳優はイケメンです。Ano haiyū wa ikemen desu.That actor is handsome.
- 隣の席の人はイケメンだった。Tonari no seki no hito wa ikemen datta.The person in the next seat was handsome.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a person they saw at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariさっきの店員さん、すごくイケメンだったね！Sakki no tenin-san, sugoku ikemen datta ne!That clerk just now was so handsome!
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だね。陽葵の好みだね。Hontō da ne. Himari no konomi da ne.True. He's exactly your type, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔に言われると照れるなあ。Hiroto ni iwareru to tereru nā.I'm embarrassed when you say that, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto冗談だよ。でも確かにイケメンだった。Jōdan da yo. Demo tashika ni ikemen datta.I'm joking. But he definitely was handsome.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry イケメン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries イケメン, CC BY-SA 4.0.
