1.
assertive type; go-getter; aggressive pursuer (especially in romance)
A person who is proactive and assertive, especially in romantic relationships — someone who actively pursues what they want. Coined as a metaphor from the image of a meat-eating predator. Originally used mainly for men but now applied to women as well. Popularized as slang in the late 2000s.
彼は肉食系だ。
He's the assertive type.
肉食系女子が増えている。
There are more and more assertive women these days.
恋愛に関しては肉食系で、自分から積極的にアプローチするタイプだ。
When it comes to romance, I'm the assertive type — I actively approach people myself.
A figurative use of 肉食 (meat-eating, carnivorous) combined with 系 (type, category). The metaphor compares assertive, proactive people to predatory carnivores who actively hunt their prey.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 肉食系男子: assertive man (in dating)
- 肉食系女子: assertive woman (in dating)
- 肉食系キャラ: the go-getter character type
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
The term emerged in Japanese pop culture around 2006-2008 as part of a broader classification of personality types using animal diet metaphors. It contrasts with 草食系 (herbivore type) — a passive, unassertive person, especially in romance. The 草食系/肉食系 dichotomy became a major cultural talking point in Japan, reflecting changing gender dynamics and dating behavior among young people.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 草食系: herbivore type — passive, gentle, not aggressive in pursuing romance; the opposite
- 積極的: proactive, assertive — a standard adjective without the slang/metaphorical coloring
- 肉食動物: carnivore (literal) — an actual meat-eating animal