Otoko-mae (Manly Look/Attitude)

Yesterday I talked about the Japanese word "iro-otoko," which mean a good-looking man or a ladies' man.

Today I'd like to talk about the word "otoko-mae," which means a manly look or attitude.

"Otoko" in "otoko-mae" means a man and "mae" means "front."

Here, "mae" can make a noun that expresses a function or state of something by attaching after another noun.

For example, there is "ude-mae" (ude means an arm and ude-mae means skill.)

Originally, "otoko-mae" means something like the role of a man.

However, now it usually means that someone is nice as a man, that is, someone has a manly look or attitude.

男前

昨日は、「美男子」や「好色な男」を意味する「色男」という言葉を紹介しました。

今日は、「男らしい顔つきや態度」を意味する「男前」という言葉を紹介します。

「前」という言葉は、人体を表す語の後について、それに関する機能や状態を示す名詞を作ります。

例えば、「腕前」や「一人前」などがあります。

「男前」も本来は、「男としてのあり方」を意味します。

しかし現在では、通常「男前が良い」という意味で使われます。

• Here, "mae" can make a noun that expresses a function or state of something by attaching after another noun.
• Here, "mae" is used to expresses a function or state of something by attaching it to another noun.orWhen "mae" is attached to another noun it expresses a function or state of something.

• Originally, "otoko-mae" means something like the role of a man.
• Originally, "otoko-mae" means something like the role of a man.orOriginally, "otoko-mae" was translated roughly as "the role of a man".orOriginally, "otoko-mae" meant"the role of a man".

• However, now it usually means that someone is nice as a man, that is, someone has a manly look or attitude.
• However, now it usually means that someone is nice as a nice man, that is, someone who has a manly look or attitude.