おっさん

おっさん
noun
middle-aged man; old guy
informalcolloquialperson
1. middle-aged man; old guy
A casual and somewhat rough term for a middle-aged or older man, often used dismissively or humorously.
あのおっさん(だれ)
Who's that old guy?
おっさんになってきた。
I'm becoming a middle-aged guy.
I gave up my seat to an older guy on the train.

おっさん is a contraction of おじさん (uncle/middle-aged man). It's casual and can sound slightly rude or dismissive, though it's also used humorously for self-deprecation.

Register

This is informal/casual language. おじさん is more neutral, and 中年(ちゅうねん)男性(だんせい) is formal.

Usage

  • Can be rude if used to address or describe someone you don't know well
  • Often used humorously among friends or for self-deprecation
  • The female equivalent is おばちゃん

Related words