1.
person of refined taste; sophisticate; connoisseur
A person who is worldly-wise and has cultivated aesthetic sense, especially regarding pleasure, entertainment, and the arts.
Refers to someone with refined, worldly taste, particularly in traditional Japanese arts, food, drink, and entertainment. The concept is rooted in Edo-period culture, where 粋 represented an ideal of understated elegance, wit, and savoir-faire. A 粋人 understands social pleasures without being vulgar about them.
Common collocations
Similar words
- 通人: connoisseur; expert — emphasizes deep knowledge of a particular field (food, theater, etc.) rather than general refinement
- 風流人: person of artistic sensibility — focuses more on appreciation of nature and poetic beauty
- 文化人: cultured person; intellectual — broader term referring to anyone involved in cultural or intellectual pursuits
Cultural note
The aesthetic ideal of 粋 values restraint, subtle sophistication, and an easy confidence. It stands in contrast to 野暮 (unsophisticated; boorish). A 粋人 knows when to show off and when to hold back.