ojisan

Ojisan (おじさん) is a Japanese noun meaning “uncle” or “middle-aged man.” It derives from oji (叔父, uncle) with the polite suffix san (さん) and the honorific prefix o-. The term is used to refer to an adult male who is older than the speaker but not necessarily a close relative. It can function as a casual or neutral label in everyday speech.

In usage, ojisan is commonly employed by children or younger people when addressing or describing a man they do not know well. In formal or highly polite contexts, speakers may refer to the person by their surname followed by さん, or use more formal language to avoid being overly familiar. The tone can range from warm and friendly to merely descriptive, depending on context and relationship.

In popular culture, ojisan appears frequently in anime, manga, and other media as a generic middle-aged male character or as a non-protagonist figure. The term conveys specificity about age without implying any particular occupation or role.

Related terms include ojiisan (おじいさん), which more directly refers to a grandfather or an elderly man, and ojichan (おじちゃん), a casual or affectionate variant for an uncle or older man. The nuances of formality and familiarity surrounding ojisan can vary by region and situation.