1A man; a male. The basic everyday word paired with 女 ("woman"), used to talk about gender, describe people, or report demographics. Slightly direct or casual in tone — in polite contexts 男性 (だんせい) or 男の方 are often preferred.
このクラスは男が15人、女が18人です。
This class has 15 boys and 18 girls.
犯人は背の高い男だったらしい。
The suspect was apparently a tall man.
男も女も関係なく、誰でも応募できます。
Men and women alike — anyone can apply.
うちの子はもうすぐ生まれるけど、男か女かまだ知らない。
Our baby is due soon, but we don't yet know if it's a boy or a girl.
2Used to refer to a third-party man — "that guy," "a fellow," "a chap." Casual and conversational; depending on context, it can sound positive ("a reliable guy") or negative ("a suspicious fellow"). Carries a sense of distance or evaluation, so addressing or referring to someone present or higher in status this way can come across as rude.
あの男、さっきからずっとこっちを見ているよ。
That guy has been staring at us for a while now.
彼は信頼できるいい男だ。
He's a good guy you can rely on.
あんな男のために泣くなんて、もったいないよ。
Crying over a guy like that — it's not worth it.
3A male partner in a romantic or sexual relationship — a boyfriend or lover. Used in expressions like 女に男ができた ("she's got a man now") and 彼女には男がいる ("she has a man"). Somewhat blunt or colloquial in tone — common in news, gossip, and fiction.
どうやら彼女に新しい男ができたようだ。
It seems she's got a new man.
あの女優は、二人の男の間で揺れる役を演じた。
That actress played a woman torn between two men.
彼女には付き合っている男がいる。
She has a man she's seeing.
4Manliness; one's reputation or honor as a man. Found in fixed expressions like 男を上げる ("to raise one's standing as a man"), 男を見せる ("to show one's mettle"), and 男がすたる ("to be a disgrace as a man"). Refers to traditionally male-coded qualities — courage, dignity, pride. Somewhat literary and old-fashioned, and at times avoided in modern gender-conscious writing, but still alive in fiction, yakuza dramas, and sports commentary.
土壇場で逆転ホームランを打って、彼は男を上げた。
By hitting a walk-off home run in the clutch, he raised his standing as a man.
ここで逃げたら男がすたるぞ。
If you run away here, you'll be a disgrace as a man.