Japanese word

ゲイ

Pronunciation

Romajigei

Meaning

  • noungay

Example

私の友達はゲイです。watashi no tomo dachi wa ge i de su

My friend is gay.

Illustration for ゲイ (gay)

More examples

彼は自分がゲイだと公表しました。kare wa ji bun ga ge i da to kō hyō shi ma shi ta

He publicly announced that he was gay.

Core concept

Describes a man whose romantic or sexual attraction is directed toward men and is part of his identity.

Common phrases

  • ゲイの友人ge i no yū jin

    gay friend

  • ゲイの権利ge i no ken ri

    gay rights

  • ゲイだと公表するge i da to kō hyō su ru

    come out as gay

Similar words

男性同性愛者danseidōseiaisha: A neutral descriptive term for a man whose romantic or sexual attraction is directed toward men.

Definition in Japanese

男性を恋愛や性愛の対象とする男性。dan sei o ren ai ya sei ai no tai shō to su ru dan sei

Word origin

The Japanese noun ゲイ (gei, "gay") is borrowed from English gay, which entered English through French gai, originally meaning "cheerful" or "lively", before developing its current sexual sense.

Usage tips

  • In contemporary English, gay is most often an adjective, and gay man is usually more natural than a gay when referring to a person.

Word lists with this word