hard-liners; diehards; hawks
Refers to people or factions that take a tough, uncompromising stance, especially in politics or ideology. Often contrasted with 軟派 (なんぱ).
He's a tough, old-school kind of guy who isn't much interested in romantic talk.
The hard-liners in the party strongly oppose the tax increase.
tough guy; man's man; traditionally masculine man
Describes a young man who embodies traditional masculine interests and behavior, such as stoicism, physical strength, or old-school values. Often used in contrast to 軟派 (なんぱ) men who are more sensitive or romantic.
彼は硬派な性格で、めったに弱音を吐かない。
He has a tough-guy personality and rarely complains.
あのグループは硬派の男性が多い。
That group has a lot of manly men.
hard news; political/economic reporter
Journalism term: refers to serious news covering politics, economics, and social issues, or a reporter specializing in such fields. Contrasts with 軟派 (なんぱ) for entertainment or human-interest stories.
彼は新聞社の硬派記者として長年働いてきた。
He has worked for many years as a hard-news reporter at the newspaper.
strait-laced; conservative in relationships
Describes a person who is serious, prudish, or old-fashioned about romantic or sexual matters. Often used in contrast to 軟派 (なんぱ) for someone more casual or flirtatious.
彼女は硬派で、合コンにはあまり行かない。
She is strait-laced and doesn't go to group dates very often.
bullish traders
Financial term: refers to investors or traders who are bullish, i.e., expect prices to rise. Contrasts with 軟派 (なんぱ) for bearish traders.
今日の市場では硬派が優勢だ。
The bulls are dominant in today's market.
This TV station mainly broadcasts hard news, like politics and economics.
He acts tough, but he's actually a gentle person.
軟派 is the direct opposite of 硬派 in every sense—soft-liners, romantically casual men, soft news, or bearish traders, versus 硬派's uncompromising, tough, or serious counterparts.
硬骨 describes a person of firm, unyielding principle (a moral trait), while 硬派 labels a whole type or faction of people, including tough men, hard news, or bullish traders.
Compound of 硬 (こう, 'hard') and 派 (は, 'faction, group'). The term originated as a political label for hard-line factions and later extended to other domains, always contrasting with 軟派 (なんぱ, 'soft faction').