Translation guide
The English word 'masculine' can describe people, traits, appearances, or things. In Japanese, the most natural way to express this depends heavily on context. Direct translations exist but are often too formal or clinical for everyday use. This guide covers common expressions for describing masculine qualities, from personality to appearance.
Describing a person (usually a man) who is strong, assertive, or exhibits stereotypically male traits.
The most common and natural way to say 'masculine' for personality or behavior. It means 'manly' in a positive sense, implying strength, reliability, and traditional male virtues.
彼はとても男らしい人だ。
He is a very masculine person.
男らしく振る舞いなさい。
Act in a masculine way.
A more formal, descriptive term meaning 'masculine' or 'male-like'. Often used in written contexts or when analyzing traits. Can be applied to both men and women.
彼女は男性的な性格をしている。
She has a masculine personality.
Loanword from English, used in fashion, psychology, or gender studies. Not common in everyday conversation.
マスキュリンなファッションが好きだ。
I like masculine fashion.
Describing someone's looks, build, or clothing as masculine.
Literally 'manly facial features'. Used for a face that looks strong, chiseled, or stereotypically male.
彼は男らしい顔立ちをしている。
He has masculine features.
A more formal way to say 'masculine appearance'. Suitable for written descriptions.
その俳優は男性的な外見で人気がある。
That actor is popular for his masculine appearance.
Loanword meaning 'wild', often used to describe a rugged, masculine look or style. Common in fashion and casual speech.
Describing clothing, accessories, or overall style as masculine.
Wasei-eigo meaning 'men's-like', used in fashion to describe women wearing masculine styles. Very common in magazines and stores.
メンズライクなジャケットを着ている。
She's wearing a masculine jacket.
Means 'boyish', often used for women's fashion or hairstyles that are short and androgynous. Slightly different from 'masculine' but overlaps.
ボーイッシュな服が好きだ。
I like boyish (masculine) clothes.
From English 'mannish', used in fashion for women's clothing that imitates men's styles. Less common than メンズライク.
マニッシュなスーツを着こなす。
She pulls off a masculine suit.
Describing a deep, low voice or a way of speaking that sounds masculine.
Literally 'low voice', the most natural way to describe a deep, masculine voice.
彼は低い声で話す。
He speaks in a deep (masculine) voice.
Means 'thick, husky voice', often implying a rough, masculine quality.
野太い声が魅力的だ。
His husky (masculine) voice is attractive.
Refers to masculine speech patterns, including pronoun choice (俺, 僕) and sentence endings (だ, ぞ). Important for learners.
Referring to the grammatical category 'masculine' in languages like French or Spanish.
The standard term for 'masculine noun' in grammar.
フランス語では「livre」は男性名詞です。
In French, 'livre' is a masculine noun.
Means 'masculine form', used for adjectives or articles.
Using マスキュリン or 男性的 to describe a person in casual conversation can sound clinical or like you're analyzing them. Stick to 男らしい for natural, positive descriptions.
彼は男らしい。
He is masculine.
男らしい is subjective and value-laden (positive manliness), while 男性的 is objective and descriptive (male-like traits). Use 男らしい for compliments, 男性的 for neutral descriptions.
ワイルドなひげが似合う。
A wild beard suits him (looks masculine).
彼は男言葉を使う。
He uses masculine speech.
Please tell me the masculine form of this adjective.