皮肉屋(ひにくや)

ひにくや
noun
cynic; sarcastic person
1. cynic; sarcastic person
A person who habitually makes sarcastic, ironic, or cynical remarks. Someone known for their biting wit or tendency to say the opposite of what they mean.
彼(かれ)は皮肉屋(ひにくや)で有名(ゆうめい)だ。
He is known for being sarcastic.
皮肉屋(ひにくや)の上司(じょうし)とは付(つ)き合(あ)いにくい。
A sarcastic boss is hard to deal with.
彼女(かのじょ)は皮肉屋(ひにくや)だが、根(ね)は優(やさ)しい人(ひと)だと思(おも)う。
She's a cynic, but I think she's a kind person at heart.

A compound of 皮肉(ひにく) (sarcasm; irony) and 屋(や) (a suffix meaning "person who does" something habitually, often with a slightly negative tone). The 屋(や) suffix is productive in Japanese for describing personality types: 怒(おこ)りん坊(ぼう) (short-tempered person), 甘(あま)え屋(や) (clingy person).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 皮肉屋(ひにくや)な性格(せいかく): sarcastic personality
  • 皮肉屋(ひにくや)で知(し)られる: known as a cynic

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 毒舌(どくぜつ)家(か): sharp-tongued person — more extreme; implies harsh, even hurtful comments
  • 批評家(ひひょうか): critic — focuses on evaluating and judging, not necessarily sarcastically
  • 頑固者(がんこもの): stubborn person — different personality flaw; unyielding rather than sarcastic
general
Added 2026.5.6 1:21
26500/26937_hinikuya