宅男

Chinese

		residence	male
trad. (宅男)		宅	男
simp. #(宅男)		宅	男

Etymology

宅 (zhái) (from Japanese お宅 (otaku)) + 男 (nán, “man”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zháinán

  (Zhuyin): ㄓㄞˊ ㄋㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zaak⁶ naam⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zháinán
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄞˊ ㄋㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jháinán
    • Wade–Giles: chai²-nan²
    • Yale: jái-nán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jairnan
    • Palladius: чжайнань (čžajnanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂaɪ̯³⁵ nän³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zaak⁶ naam⁴
    • Yale: jaahk nàahm
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzaak⁹ naam⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: zag⁶ nam⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡saːk̚² naːm²¹/

Noun

宅男

1. (neologism, slang) (male) nerd; homebody

Usage notes

• The original intended meaning reflected the derogatory nature of the original Japanese word. However, many men have begun to use 宅男 in a self-deprecating or slightly humorous way when referring to themselves.

Related terms

• 宅女 (zháinǚ, “a (female) nerd or homebody”)
• 御宅族 (yùzháizú, “otaku”)