Japanese symbol for “manliness”
男
おとこ
Romaji: otoko
man; male
In Japanese, manliness is 男, read おとこ (otoko).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, n-pref man; male
- n fellow; guy; chap; bloke
- n male lover; boyfriend; man
- n manliness; manly honor; manly honour; manly reputation
Written forms: 男. Readings: おとこ、おっこ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “manliness”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 男前 | おとこまえ otokomae | manliness |
| 壮 | そう sou | vibrancy; strength; bravery |
| 競い肌 | きおいはだ kioihada | manliness; gallantry |
| 雄性 | ゆうせい yuusei | male characteristics; manliness |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 男性 | だんせい dansei | man; male |
| 男子 | だんし danshi | boy |
| 男女 | だんじょ danjo | men and women; man and woman; both sexes |
| 男の子 | おとこのこ otokonoko | boy; son; baby boy |
| 長男 | ちょうなん chounan | eldest son (may be the only son); first-born son |
| 男爵 | だんしゃく danshaku | baron |
See also: Chinese symbol for “manliness”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.