1.
barber; licensed hairdresser specializing in men's grooming
A nationally licensed professional who cuts hair, shaves, and provides grooming services. In Japan, barbers and beauticians hold different licenses: a 理容師 can perform shaving with a razor, while a 美容師 (beautician) cannot. The distinction is defined by law.
理容師の免許を取る。
To obtain a barber's license.
父は長年理容師として働いてきた。
My father has worked as a barber for many years.
理容師になるには専門学校で二年間学ぶ必要がある。
To become a barber, you need to study at a vocational school for two years.
Compound of 理容 ('grooming; barbering') and 師 ('master; professional'). In Japan, 理容師 and 美容師 are legally distinct professions governed by different laws. The key legal difference is that only a 理容師 may use a straight razor on customers — a distinction that traces back to the historical role of barbers in men's grooming.
USAGE:
- The workplace is called a 理容室 or 理容店 (barbershop), as opposed to a 美容室 (beauty salon).
- In practice, the line between barber and beautician has blurred, with many modern shops offering overlapping services.
- The older colloquial term 床屋 ('barbershop') is still widely used in everyday speech.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 理容師免許: barber's license
- 理容師試験: barber licensing exam
- 理容師法: Barbers Act (the governing law)
- 理容師養成施設: barber training school
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 美容師: beautician; hairdresser — holds a different license and traditionally focuses on styling and perming rather than shaving
- 床屋: barbershop — the informal everyday word for a barbershop; also used loosely for the barber himself