男の子

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 公園で男の子が走っています。▶ —
   A boy is running in the park.
2. 男の子の声が聞こえました。▶ —
   I heard a boy's voice.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Otoko-no-ko (男の子) parses as 男 (otoko, male) + の (no, possessive) + 子 (ko, child) — literally "male's child = boy." Covers preschool / elementary ages, matching English boy. From around age 13 use 少年 shounen (literary / news), adult men use otoko-no-hito (男の人). Korean namja-ai / sonyeon split is parallel. Pronunciation: o-to-ko-no-ko, 5 mora. News reports frequently say "Otoko-no-ko (○ years old) ga..." with age.

Quick check

1. Literary / news term for a male youth aged 13+?

   • Shounen — literary / news
   • Otoko-no-ko — child
   • Otoko-no-hito — adult
   • Ojisan — middle-aged