男: the kanji for man
男 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means man. Below are its readings, 11 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
男 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
男 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 11 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ダン (dan)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 男性だんせい · dansei | man |
| 男子だんし · danshi | boy; man |
| 男女だんじょ · danjo | men and women |
| 男性用だんせいよう · danseiyō | for men |
ナン (nan)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 長男ちょうなん · chōnan | eldest son |
| 次男じなん · jinan | second son |
| 美男びなん · binan | handsome man |
おとこ (otoko)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 男おとこ · otoko | man |
| 男の子おとこのこ · otokonoko | boy |
| 男の人おとこのひと · otoko no hito | man |
| 男らしいおとこらしい · otokorashii | manly |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 男性用のトイレは一階です。Danseiyō no toire wa ikkai desu.The men's restroom is on the first floor.
- 長男は大学生です。Chōnan wa daigakusei desu.My eldest son is a university student.
- 男女とも参加できます。Danjo tomo sanka dekimasu.Both men and women can take part.
- あの男の人は新しい部長です。Ano otoko no hito wa atarashii buchō desu.That man is the new department manager.
- 先月、男の子が生まれました。Sengetsu, otokonoko ga umaremashita.We had a baby boy last month.
- 次男はサッカーが好きです。Jinan wa sakkā ga suki desu.My second son likes soccer.
Questions about 男
How many strokes does 男 have?
男 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 男?
The on readings are dan (ダン), nan (ナン). The kun readings are otoko (おとこ).
What is the difference between 男性 and 男の人?
Both mean "man." 男性 (dansei) is more formal and common in business and writing. 男の人 (otoko no hito) is everyday Japanese.
What JLPT level is 男?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
People
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 男
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.