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.
He is a very masculine person.
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.
She has a masculine personality.
Loanword from English, used in fashion, psychology, or gender studies. Not common in everyday conversation.
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.
He has masculine features.
A more formal way to say 'masculine appearance'. Suitable for written descriptions.
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.
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.
From English 'mannish', used in fashion for women's clothing that imitates men's styles. Less common than メンズライク.
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.
He speaks in a deep (masculine) voice.
Means 'thick, husky voice', often implying a rough, masculine quality.
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.
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.
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.
That actor is popular for his masculine appearance.
ワイルドなひげが似合う。
A wild beard suits him (looks masculine).
I like boyish (masculine) clothes.
She pulls off a masculine suit.
He uses masculine speech.
Please tell me the masculine form of this adjective.