1.
male actor; actor (gender-specified)
A male performer in film, television, or theater. Used mainly in formal contexts and award names where the distinction between male and female performers is relevant.
Compound of 男 (male) + 優 (actor; the final character of 俳優).
Common collocations
- 主演男優賞: Best Actor award
- 助演男優賞: Best Supporting Actor award
- 人気男優: popular actor
- 若手男優: young/up-and-coming actor
Usage
Less common in everyday speech than the gender-neutral 俳優 (actor) — most Japanese speakers refer to a male actor simply as 俳優. 男優 is used mainly when the male/female distinction matters, such as in award titles or industry reporting.