奴 — Guy, Fellow, Servant

Meaning

The N1 kanji 奴 (やつyatsu) carries a versatile range of meanings that often depend heavily on context. At its core, it refers to a 'guy,' 'fellow,' 'chap,' or 'person,' often used in an informal, familiar, or sometimes derogatory sense. Historically, it also carried the strong meaning of 'servant' or 'slave.' In modern Japanese, the meaning of 'slave' is primarily conveyed through compounds like 奴隷どれい, while the standalone character 奴 most frequently refers to a person or even a thing in a casual manner.

Its origin is believed to be a pictograph. It depicts a person (represented by the component resembling 匕) with a hand (又) holding or controlling them. While its exact etymology is debated, some theories suggest 匕 represents a person bowing or kneeling. This visual connection to subjugation or control clearly highlights its historical meaning of a servant or slave.

Over time, especially in spoken Japanese, its usage evolved. It became a more generalized, informal reference for 'that person' or 'that thing.' While it has lost much of its negative connotation in certain contexts, it can still be impolite depending on who is being referred to and by whom.

The kanji 奴 consists of 5 strokes. Although not a school grade kanji (Grade 0), it's an important part of the JLPT N1 curriculum. This reflects its advanced usage and the nuanced meanings it conveys in various Japanese expressions.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

The On'yomi reading of 奴 is primarily ドDO. This reading is typically found in formal compound words, especially those with historical or more serious connotations related to servitude or oppression. It maintains a strong link to the kanji's original meaning of 'slave' or 'servant' when used in this reading.

• 奴隷どれい (dorei) — slave. This is the most common and direct word to express 'slave' in Japanese. For example, 奴隷制度どれいせいど means 'slavery system'.
• 奴婢ぬひ (nuhi) — male and female servants/slaves (a historical term). This compound refers to slaves or servants collectively in ancient times.
• 強奴きょうど (kyoudo) — a strong slave or powerful enemy (rare, historical).

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

The Kun'yomi readings are much more common in everyday spoken Japanese, primarily やつyatsu and its variant やっこyacco (often as やっこさんyakkosan). These readings are quite versatile. They can refer to both people and things, carrying various shades of meaning depending on the context.

• 奴やつ (yatsu) — guy, fellow, thing. This is an extremely common, informal way to refer to a person or an object. It can be derogatory, neutral, or even affectionate among close friends. For example, to call someone 'that guy over there,' you might say あいつ (aitsu), which is a contraction of あれare + 奴やつ.
• こいつ (koitsu) — this guy/thing (contraction of これkore + 奴やつ). Used when referring to something or someone close to the speaker.
• そいつ (soitsu) — that guy/thing (contraction of それsore + 奴やつ). Used when referring to something or someone close to the listener.
• 奴らやつら (yatsura) — those guys, them. The plural form of 奴やつ, often implying a group of people in an informal or slightly dismissive way.
• やっこさん (yakkosan) — that gentleman/lady (a somewhat dated, often ironic or playful term for 'that guy' or 'that person'). It can be used to refer to someone with a hint of politeness or mock respect.

Common Words & Compounds

The kanji 奴 appears in a variety of words and expressions, demonstrating its wide range of usage from formal historical terms to everyday informal speech. Learning these compounds is essential for understanding 奴.

• 奴やつ (yatsu) — Guy, fellow, chap, thing, object. The most direct and common kun'yomi, used very broadly.
• あいつ (aitsu) — That guy/thing over there. A combination of あれare and 奴やつ, used informally.
• こいつ (koitsu) — This guy/thing. Combination of これkore and 奴やつ, used for something/someone nearby.
• そいつ (soitsu) — That guy/thing (near the listener). Combination of それsore and 奴やつ.
• 奴らやつら (yatsura) — Those guys, them. Plural form, often informal or slightly derogatory.
• 奴隷どれい (dorei) — Slave. The most prominent On'yomi compound, indicating its historical meaning.
• 奴隷制度どれいせいど (doreiseido) — Slavery system. An important term in historical and social contexts.
• 奴隷解放どれいかいほう (dorei kaihou) — Emancipation of slaves. Another important historical term.
• やっこさん (yakkosan) — That gentleman/lady (dated, often ironic). A more formal or playful way to refer to 'that person'.
• とんでもない奴とんでもないやつ (tondemonai yatsu) — An outrageous/terrible fellow. An adjective used with 奴 to describe someone's character.
• 面白い奴おもしろいやつ (omoshiroi yatsu) — An interesting guy. Another common descriptive phrase.
• 何の奴なんのやつ (nan no yatsu) — What kind of thing/person? Used to inquire about an unknown entity.
• 働き者はたらきものの奴やつ (hatarakimono no yatsu) — That hardworking fellow. Using 奴 to refer to someone with a positive trait.

Example Sentences

Memory Tip

To remember the kanji 奴, consider its visual components: the left part, which resembles 匕 (meaning 'spoon' or 'dagger,' but often used for 'person' or 'human' in kanji contexts), and the right part, 又 (meaning 'again' or 'hand'). You can imagine a person (匕) who has their hand (又) bound or controlled, symbolizing someone in servitude – a 'slave' or 'servant.' Over time, this evolved to simply mean 'that person' or 'that guy' because such individuals were often referred to impersonally. Alternatively, think of a 'person' (匕) who always has to do things by 'hand' (又) because they are a 'servant,' or just 'that guy' who is always busy with manual tasks.