1.
handsome man; good-looking man
A man who is considered physically attractive. A somewhat formal or literary term.
彼は美男子として有名だ。
He is famous for being a handsome man.
映画に出てくる美男子にあこがれる女性は多い。
Many women admire the handsome men who appear in movies.
歴史に名を残す美男子といえば、光源氏がよく挙げられる。
When it comes to famous handsome men in history, Hikaru Genji is often mentioned.
USAGE:
A somewhat literary or formal word. In everyday conversation, イケメン is far more common for describing a handsome man. 美男子 has a classical, refined nuance.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 美男子で有名 (famous for being handsome)
- 美男美女 (handsome men and beautiful women)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- イケメン: handsome guy — modern, casual, much more commonly used
- 美男: handsome man — shorter form, also somewhat literary
- ハンサム: handsome — loanword from English, slightly dated