In media reports men are generally referred to as “dansei,” and women as “josei.”
However, when reporting about criminal suspects, rather than dansei, “otoko” is used, and rather than josei, “onna.”
In normal conversation, many people use “otoko no hito” and “onna no hito.”
In the entrances of toilets you will find “male” and “female” symbols, or “otoko” and “onna” kanji.
To refer to both men and women, you should say “danjo.”
A female partner (girlfriend) is called “kanojo,” and a male partner (boyfriend), “kareshi.”
Ex-partners are called “moto kare” (ex-boyfriend) or “moto kano” (ex-girlfriend).
“Kare” (boyfriend) comes from the word for the male third person “kare” (he), and “kano” (girlfriend) from the female “kanojo.”
It used to be common to use “koibito” to refer to a person in an intimate relationship.
The kanji “koi” of koibito, means “fall in love,” and “bito” (hito) means person.
“Aijin” is often misinterpreted as “koibito” by non-Japanese.
The kanji “ai” of “aijin” means “love.”
Non-Japanese are apt to misinterpret aijin as meaning sweetheart, but it actually refers to the lover of a person having an affair.
There is also the word “renai,” which combines the kanji “koi” and “ai.”
This means “being in love,” but has a similar nuance to “romance.”
メディアの報道
Medhia no houdou
media reports
一般的に
ippantekini
generally
「男性」、
“dansei,”
(as) dansei
ウィメンは
wimen wa/ha
(and) women
「女性」
“josei”
(as) josei
と言います。
to iimasu.
are referred to
容疑者を
yougisha o/wo
suspects
報道する
houdou suru
reporting (about)
ではなく
dewa/ha naku
rather than
ではなく
dewa/ha naku
rather than
使われます。
tsukawaremasu.
is used
「男の人」、
“otoko no hito,”
otoko no hito
「女の人」を
“onnna no hito” o/wo
(and) onna no hito
入口
iriguchi
(the) entrances
「女」の
“onnna” no
(and) female
「女」の
“onnna” no
(and) onnna
あります。
arimasu.
(you) will find
表現するときには
hyougen suru toki niwa/ha
to refer to
言います。
iimasu.
(you) should say
女性の
Josei no
(a) female
(ガールフレンド)は
(ga-rufurendo) wa/ha
girlfriend
男性の
dansei no
(and a) male
(ボーイフレンド)は
(bo-ifurendo) wa/ha
boyfriend
「彼氏」と
“kareshi” to
kareshi
呼ばれています。
yobarete imasu.
is called
別れた恋人は
Wakareta koibito wa/ha
ex-partners
「元カレ」
“moto’kare”
moto kare
(元ボーイフレンド)
(moto bo-ifurendo)
ex-boyfriend
「元カノ」
“moto’kano”
(or) moto kano
(元ガールフレンド)と
(moto ga-rufurendo) to
ex-girlfriend
(ボーイフレンド)は
(bo-ifurendo) wa/ha
boyfriend
三人称の
sannninshou no
(the word for the) third person
「彼」(he)、
“kare” (he),
kare he
(ガールフレンド)は
(ga-rufurendo) wa/ha
girlfriend
「彼女」(she)
“kanojo” (she)
(the) kanojo she
に由来します。
ni yurai shimasu.
comes from
親密な
Shinmitsuna
intimate
関係
kankei
a(n) relationship
「恋人」が
“koibito” ga
koibito
使われていました。
tsukawarete imashita.
(it) used to use
漢字の
kanji no
(the) kanji
フォールインラブ、
fo-ru in rabu,
fall in love
「人」は
“bito” wa/ha
(and) bito
という意味です。
to iu imi desu.
means
外国人
Gaikokujin
non-Japanese
勘違いするのが
kanchigai suru no ga
misinterpreted
という意味です。
to iu imi desu.
means
外国人は
Gaikokujin wa/ha
non-Japanese
スイートハートの
sui-to ha-to no
sweetheart
とらえがちです
toraegachi desu
are apt to misinterpret
不倫相手を
furin’aite o/wo
(the) lover of (a) person having (an) affair
意味します。
imi shimasu.
(it) refers to
組み合わせた
kumiawaseta
(which) combines
という言葉
to iu kotoba
(the) word
ビーイングインラブの
bi-ingu in rabu no
being in love
ニュアンスが
nyuansu ga
(a) nuance