noun
Familiar, often masculine term for one's own father; used mainly by men in casual speech. Can sound rough or affectionate depending on context.
うちのおやじは昔、漁師だったんだ。
My old man used to be a fisherman.
I borrowed the car from my dad.
noun
middle-aged man; old guy; geezer
Refers to an older man, often with a rough or dismissive nuance; can be used directly or as a third-person reference. Not necessarily polite.
あのおやじ、いつも同じ時間に公園にいるよ。
That old guy is always in the park at the same time.
駅前でおやじたちが将棋を指していた。
Some middle-aged men were playing shogi in front of the station.
noun
Slangy, familiar term for one's boss or superior, often used by male employees in informal settings. Can carry a slightly irreverent tone.
今日はおやじが機嫌悪くてさ。
The boss is in a bad mood today.
おやじに呼ばれて会議室に行った。
The boss called me and I went to the meeting room.
noun
Used for the owner or manager of a small business, especially a restaurant, bar, or shop. Familiar and somewhat rough; often used by regular customers.
この店のおやじは気前がいいんだ。
The owner of this shop is generous.
ラーメン屋のおやじに大盛りにしてもらった。
The ramen shop owner gave me an extra-large portion.
noun
Hokkaido dialect term for a grizzly bear, used by hunters or locals. Not standard Japanese.
北海道では、ヒグマのことを「おやじ」と呼ぶことがある。
In Hokkaido, the brown bear is sometimes called 'oyaji'.