1.
big eater; glutton; hearty eater
A person who eats a large amount of food. The final character 漢 means "man," so the word originally referred to men, but it is now used loosely for anyone who eats a lot.
弟は大食漢だ。
My younger brother is a big eater.
彼は大食漢で、いつもおかわりをする。
He is a big eater and always gets seconds.
あの選手は有名な大食漢で、一度に五人前を平らげる。
That athlete is a famous big eater who polishes off five servings at once.
Written 大 (big) + 食 (eat) + 漢 (man). A somewhat literary or descriptive word, often used admiringly or humorously.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 大食い: big eating; a big eater — more colloquial; also names the competitive-eating sense
- 健啖家: hearty eater — more refined, emphasizes a healthy appetite
- 食いしん坊: glutton; foodie — casual, suggests loving food rather than sheer quantity