おとこ

man, male

JLPT N5

Character Breakdown

Basic Meaning

The character (nán) primarily means "man" or "male." It is used to refer to adult men, boys, or males in general.

Usage in Daily Life

You will often see used in contexts like 孩子 (boy), 男朋友 (boyfriend), or 学生 (male student). It is a common word for distinguishing gender in everyday conversation.

Common Collocations

  • 孩子 (nán hái zi): boy, often used to refer to a male child.
  • 男朋友 (nán péng yǒu): boyfriend, a common term in relationships.
  • 学生 (nán xué shēng): male student, used in educational contexts.

Nuances and Tips

is a straightforward gender marker and is neutral in tone. It is often paired with (nǚ) to contrast male and female. Avoid confusing with 男士 (nán shì), which is a more formal or polite term for "man." In casual speech, is very common and natural.

Summary

Use whenever you want to specify or talk about males, whether children or adults. It appears frequently in compound words and is essential for basic gender distinctions in Mandarin.

Example Sentences

He is a very polite boy.

There are ten male students and fifteen female students in this class.

My boyfriend gave me a bouquet of flowers.