大人(おとな)

おとな
noun
adult, grown-up
1. adult, grown-up
A person who has reached maturity.
大人(おとな)になる。
To become an adult.
大人(おとな)2人(にん)と子供(こども)1人(にん)
Two adults and one child.
大人(おとな)っぽい
Mature, adult-like.
大人(おとな)の切符(きっぷ)は千(せん)円(えん)です。
An adult ticket is 1,000 yen.
早(はや)く大人(おとな)になりたいと思(おも)っていたが、今(いま)は子供(こども)の時(とき)に戻(もど)りたい。
I used to want to grow up quickly, but now I want to go back to being a child.

大人(おとな) means adult and is used both literally (a grown person) and figuratively (mature, sensible behavior). The reading おとな is irregular — the kanji would normally read だいじん or たいじん.

USAGE:
大人(おとな) often implies maturity and composure beyond just age. Saying 大人(おとな)だね can mean "that's mature of you" as a compliment.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 大人(おとな)になる: to grow up, to become an adult
  • 大人(おとな)っぽい: mature, adult-like
  • 大人(おとな)料金(りょうきん): adult price/fare
  • 大人(おとな)しい: gentle, well-behaved (a separate word, not directly related)

CONTRAST:

  • 大人(おとな): adult (general)
  • 子供(こども): child
  • 成人(せいじん): adult in the legal sense (used in 成人式(せいじんしき), coming-of-age ceremony)
  • 若者(わかもの): young person
  • お年寄(としよ)り: elderly person
basic
Added 2026.1.11 18:22 · Revised 2026.2.27 9:25
02500/02856_otona