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イケメン (ikemen) Japanese meaning: good-looking guy | Kotomora

イケメン

い

け

め

ん

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

good-looking guy; handsome man; hunk

usually written using kana alone

Slang term for a handsome or cool-looking man, often used casually among younger speakers. Derived from イケてる (cool/stylish) and メン (men).

See also: イケてる · 面

あの新しん入にゅう社

しゃ

員いん

、

すごい

イケメン

だ

ね

。

That new employee is really good-looking, isn't he?

イケメン俳はい優ゆうが出しゅつ演えんするドラマはいつも人にん気きだ。

Dramas starring handsome actors are always popular.

Usage patterns

イケメン〈人ひと〉handsome ... (profession/role)
彼かれはイケメン俳はい優ゆうとして人にん気きだ。
He's popular as a handsome actor.
イケメンになるto become good-looking
彼かれはダイエットしてイケメンになった。
He went on a diet and became a handsome guy.

Kanji

面mask, face, features

Related words· 6

ハンサムN4
ハンサム is an older loanword for 'handsome' that sounds a bit formal or dated, while イケメン is the trendy, casual slang used by younger speakers today.
美び男なん
美男 is a literary/formal word for a handsome man used in writing, whereas イケメン is everyday spoken slang.
二に枚まい目め
二枚目 originally described a handsome leading actor and still carries a slightly theatrical, old-fashioned flavor, while イケメン is plain modern slang.
男おとこ前まえN1
イケメン is a casual, slangy word for a good-looking man focused on stylish looks, while 男前 can also praise manly, dependable character.

Show 2 more

美び少しょう年ねん
美少年 emphasizes youthful, delicate or androgynous beauty typically in teens, while イケメン is a casual modern term for a good-looking guy of any age without that androgynous nuance.
美び形けい
イケメン is a casual, trendy slang term for a good-looking man, while 美形 is more neutral and can describe a woman too.

Opposites

ブサイクN1
ブサイク is casual slang for an unattractive face, the direct opposite of イケメン.

Don't confuse with

イケてる
イケてる is a general adjective meaning 'cool/stylish' that can describe people or things, while イケメン is a noun specifically naming a handsome man.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Written forms

イケメンUsage98%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is standard and most common; the word is usually written in kana.
イケ面めんUsage2%
Kanji spelling using 面 for メン; rarely used and may not be recognized by all readers.
いけ面めん
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; very rare.

Etymology

Youth slang formed from イケてる “attractive, stylish” and メン. The latter is commonly associated with 面 “face,” though influence from English men has also been proposed.