1.
solo customer, party of one
A polite term used in restaurants and service contexts for a customer who comes alone.
2.
person who enjoys doing things alone; single person
A broader cultural term for someone who comfortably does activities alone, such as dining, traveling, or going to the movies solo. Can also refer to an unmarried person.
Sense 1 is the original service-industry usage heard at restaurant entrances. Sense 2 developed as a cultural trend word describing the growing acceptance of doing activities alone in Japan.
Common collocations
- お一人様ですか？ — standard restaurant greeting
- お一人様歓迎 — solo customers welcome
- お一人様席 — solo seating
- お一人様旅行 — solo travel
- お一人様焼肉 — eating yakiniku alone
The term has a positive connotation in modern usage, reflecting a shift away from the idea that doing things alone is lonely or embarrassing.