How to say "man" in Japanese

• 男おとこJLPT N5approx.Common
  noun, noun (prefix)The plain word for a man or a male. In direct reference to a person it can sound blunt or rough; it also covers the sex 'male', not only adult men.
  彼かれは多分たぶんよい男おとこであるかも知しれない。↗

  He may be a good man for all I know.
• 男性だんせいJLPT N4approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe polite, neutral term for a man or for males as a group; typical of announcements, forms, statistics and formal writing, and the safe choice when courtesy matters.
  「一いち部屋へやに３人にんで泊とまっていただけますか」と彼かれはたずねました。「ええ、かまいませんよ」と３人にんの男性だんせいは答こたえました。↗

  He asked the men, "Would you share a room?" "Certainly, we will," answered the three men.
• マンCommon
  noun, noun (suffix)The borrowed English 'man'. On its own it is seldom the word you want for a man; it really lives inside longer loanwords, so do not reach for it as an everyday noun.
• 人間にんげんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers 'man' in the sense of the human being or humankind, as in statements about people in general; it does not single out a male person, so it is wrong for 'a man'.
  どんなに財産ざいさんがあっても、貪欲どんよくな人間にんげんは満足まんぞくできない。世界中せかいじゅうの財宝ざいほうを集あつめても幸福こうふくにはなれない。↗

  No amount of wealth can satisfy a covetous man. All the treasure in the world won't make him happy.
• 男の人おとこのひとJLPT N3approx.Common
  expression, nounA mild, polite way to refer to a man, literally 'a male person'. Natural in ordinary conversation when you mention or describe a man you saw or met.
  若わかい男おとこの人ひとがドアの前まえで歌うたっています。↗

  A young man is singing in front of the door.

For an individual man, choose 「男の人」 or the blunter 男; use 男性 for polite or formal references to men; use 人間 when 'man' means humankind; 「マン」 is not used on its own.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 男おとこman
• 男性だんせいman
• マンman
• 人間にんげんhuman being
• 男の人おとこのひとman
• 人物じんぶつperson
• 士しman (esp. one who is well-respected)
• 雄ゆうmale
• オムman
• メーンman
• 万物の霊長ばんぶつのれいちょうthe lord of creation
• 人っ子ひとっこperson
• メトロポリタンエリアネットワークMetropolitan Area Network
• メンmen
• 成人男性せいじんだんせいadult male
• 成人男子せいじんだんしadult male
• 夫ふ(working) man
• ひとhuman beings
• 男子だんしman
• 男児だんじman
• 人じんman
• 大将たいしょうold chap
• 殿原とのばらman
• 漢かんman
• Ｍエムmale