(いなかもの)

いなかもの
noun
country bumpkin; rural person; provincial
informalpersongeography
1. country bumpkin; person from the countryside; provincial
Someone from a rural area, often with the connotation of being unsophisticated or unfamiliar with city ways. Can be used pejoratively by others, but is also frequently used self-deprecatingly to mean 'I'm just a country person.'
(わたし)田舎者(いなかもの)です。
I'm a country person.
都会(とかい)()きたばかり田舎者(いなかもの)だ。
I'm just a country person who's recently come to the city.
Not used to Tokyo trains, I asked the station attendant for directions, looking every bit the country bumpkin.

田舎(いなか) (countryside, rural area) + (もの) (person). The 〜(もの) suffix forms nouns labeling a person by characteristic, often with a slightly informal or judging tone.

Register

Can be insulting when used by others, but is also extremely common in self-deprecating speech, where it functions as a humble disclaimer ('please excuse my unfamiliarity with city ways'). Avoid using it to describe others unless you know them well.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 田舎(いなか)(そだ): someone raised in the countryside — more neutral, just describes upbringing
  • 地方出身(ちほうしゅっしん): from a regional area — formal, neutral
  • 都会人(とかいじん): city person — antonym