奴
guy, slave, manservant, fellow
Readings
On'yomi
- ド
Kun'yomi
- やつ
- やっこ
Nanori
- ぬ
Meaning
奴 centers on a person in a subordinate or low-status role: a servant, slave, or a rough fellow. The meanings range from a derogatory 'guy' to a bonded manservant, all tied to the idea of a lowly person.
Most common words using 奴
20 of 61- 奴やつN1
fellow; guy; chap
- 奴隷どれい
slave; servant
- 奴らやつら
they; those guys
- 売国奴ばいこくど
traitor (to one's country); quisling
- 冷奴ひややっこ
cold tofu (served with condiments)
- 奴やっこN1
servant (esp. a samurai's attendant)
- 農奴のうど
serf
- 守銭奴しゅせんど
miser; niggard; cheapskate
- 匈奴きょうど
Xiongnu (ancient Central Asian nomadic people associated with the Huns)
- 奴婢ぬひ
slaves (lowest class in the ritsuryō system); bondservants
- うちの奴うちのやつ
the wife; the missus
- べらぼう奴べらぼうめ
you fool!; you idiot!
- 三一奴さんぴんやっこ
low-ranking samurai
- 三下奴さんしたやっこ
petty underling; small fry
- 何奴なにやつ
who; what kind of person
- 公奴婢くぬひ
government-owned slave
- 剣奴けんど
gladiator
- 奴め
damn; bastard
- 奴さんやっこさん
he; she; him; her
- 奴めやつめ
fellow; guy; chap
Study
Etymology
奴 combines 女 (woman) and 又 (hand), suggesting a hand seizing a woman, which historically implied a captive or slave. The modern form retains this component structure.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 is held by a hand 又, like a servant or slave under someone's control. This lowly position also gives the rough 'guy' sense.
Reading mnemonic
For ド, imagine a lowly servant carrying a heavy door: door -> ド, and the servant struggles under it.