also: しろと · しらびと
彼は素人ながら、プロ顔負けの腕前だ。
Though he is an amateur, his skill rivals that of a professional.
素人にはこの機械の操作は難しい。
Operating this machine is difficult for a layperson.
respectable woman; woman not in the sex trade
Used historically to distinguish a woman who is not a prostitute, hostess, or geisha. Now somewhat dated, but still understood in contexts discussing the sex industry or traditional entertainment districts.
See also: 玄人
昔、花街では素人の女性はあまり見かけなかった。
In the old days, respectable women were rarely seen in the red-light district.
Archaic Kyoto dialect term for a prostitute operating without a license. Extremely rare in modern usage; primarily of historical interest.
See also: 私娼
江戸時代、京都では素人と呼ばれる私娼がいた。
In the Edo period, there were unlicensed prostitutes called しろうと in Kyoto.
His guitar playing is pretty good for an amateur.
Repairing this machine is too difficult for an amateur.
素人 means an amateur or layperson, the direct opposite of 大家, a recognized master or authority in a field.
素人 means an amateur or unskilled person, the direct opposite of a 名人 who has achieved recognized mastery.
素人 means an amateur or layperson with little knowledge, the opposite of a 博士 (はかせ) who is deeply knowledgeable or skilled.
素人 means an amateur or novice, the direct opposite of 名手's sense of a highly skilled expert.
素人 is a novice or amateur, the direct opposite of a 通 who has deep, insider-level knowledge.
素人 means an amateur or unskilled person, the opposite of テクニシャン, who is a trained expert with specialized skill.
素人 means an amateur with no formal skill, the opposite of 本職 when it describes someone working at a professional level.
素人 means an amateur or layperson with no special training, the direct opposite of a 専門家 who has deep expertise.
技術者 refers to a trained technical expert, whereas 素人 refers to an untrained layperson lacking such specialized skill.
素人 means an amateur or layperson with no special training, directly contrasting with a スペシャリスト who has deep expertise.
boarding house
layperson's judgment; amateur opinion
home remedy; layperson's medical treatment
amateurish work; unprofessional craftsmanship
amateur's shallow thoughts; layperson's opinion
amateurish; unprofessional; novice-like
amateur theatricals; amateur dramatic performance
amateur as good as a pro; surpassing amateur level
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji reading is not obvious.
Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.
Archaic reading; not used in modern Japanese.