男
彼は優しい男です。
He is a kind man.
An adult male human.
この会社には男性社員が多い。
This company has many male employees.
彼は男の中の男だ。
He is the manliest of men.
Used broadly to refer to adult males, regardless of age. In some contexts, it can imply masculinity or traditional gender roles.
A male person (used in general terms, not necessarily adult).
このクラスには男の子が5人います。
There are five boys in this class.
Often used in compounds like 男の子 (boy) or 男子 (male child/young man).
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Gender-neutral alternatives
In formal or gender-neutral contexts, consider using '男性' (male adult) or '男子' (male child/young man) instead of '男' to avoid sounding overly casual or traditional.
Gold Rule
Avoid in polite company
While '男' is not inherently rude, it is less formal than '男性' or '男子'. Use '男性' in professional or formal settings to sound more polite.
Word Origin
From Old Japanese 'omna' (男), ultimately from Proto-Japonic '*o-mena' (male person). The kanji 男 (traditionally read as 'dan' or 'nan' in Chinese-derived readings) was adopted to represent the native Japanese word.
Usage Notes
The word '男' is neutral and widely used in both formal and informal contexts. It can sometimes carry connotations of traditional masculinity, but this is context-dependent. In modern usage, it is often paired with other terms (e.g., 男子, 男性) to specify age or formality.