硬派
Meanings
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).
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.
He has a tough-guy personality and rarely complains.
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.
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.
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.
The bulls are dominant in today's market.
Usage patterns
- 硬派な〈人〉a tough, traditionally masculine person
He's a tough, old-school kind of guy who isn't much interested in romantic talk.
- 硬派な〈事〉serious, hard-news content (politics, economics, etc.)
This TV station mainly broadcasts hard news, like politics and economics.
- 硬派を気取るto act like a tough guy; to put on a hard-line front
He acts tough, but he's actually a gentle person.