ダメ男
Meaning: A no-good guy or loser boyfriend — a man who is unreliable, unemployed, unfaithful, or otherwise unsuitable as a partner.
ダメ男 describes a man with clear flaws as a partner: he might be chronically unemployed, irresponsible with money, unfaithful, emotionally manipulative, or simply lazy. It's often used when friends warn each other about bad partners. The female equivalent is ダメ女 (dame onna). The concept is a staple of Japanese relationship advice and media.
Examples
- また姉がダメ男に引っかかってるよ。 姐姐又被渣男缠上了。Mi hermana se ha vuelto a enganchar con otro inútil.또 언니가 ダメ男에 걸려들었어.
- ダメ男好きな子ってなんで繰り返すんだろう。 喜欢渣男的女生为什么总是重蹈覆辙呢。¿Por qué las chicas a las que les gustan los inútiles siempre repiten el mismo patrón?ダメ男를 좋아하는 아이들은 왜 반복하는 걸까.
- 自分のことダメ男って自覚してる時点でまだマシかも。 自己意识到自己是渣男这一点,至少还算有救吧。Si al menos eres consciente de que eres un inútil, quizás aún haya esperanza.자기가 ダメ男라고 자각하고 있는 시점에서 아직 나은 편일지도.
Pronunciation
/da.me o.to.ko/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, gossip, relationship advice
Tone: critical, concerned
✓ Do Say
- あの人ダメ男だから関わらないほうがいいよ。 (He's a loser — you should stay away.)那个人是渣男,最好别跟他来往。(那家伙是个废柴——你最好离远点。)Ese tío es un inútil, mejor no te acerques.저 사람 ダメ男이니까 관여하지 않는 게 좋아. (저 사람은 못난 남자니까 엮이지 않는 게 나아.)
- ダメ男にばかり惹かれるのは自信がないからかも。 (Maybe being attracted to losers is because of low self-esteem.)总是被渣男吸引,可能是因为不够自信。(总是被渣男吸引,也许是因为自信不够。)Quizás sentirse atraída por inútiles es cuestión de baja autoestima.ダメ男에만 끌리는 건 자신감이 없어서일지도. (못난 남자에게만 끌리는 건 자존감이 낮아서일 수도 있다.)
✗ Don't Say
- 本人に「ダメ男だね」は喧嘩になる (Calling someone a loser to their face will start a fight)当面对人说'你是个渣男'会吵起来(当面叫别人渣男/废柴会引发争吵)Llamar a alguien «inútil» a la cara acaba en pelea본인에게 「ダメ男だね」라고 하면 싸움이 난다 (상대에게 면전에서 '못난 남자네'라고 하면 싸움이 벌어진다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ダメ男 jokingly about a good partner — it carries genuinely negative weight and can be offensive
Origin & History
Compound of ダメ (no good, useless) and 男 (man). A straightforward and long-standing expression in Japanese that became especially prominent in relationship media and advice culture.
Cultural Context
Era: Long-standing expression, prominent in relationship media
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. A common concept in relationship advice, TV dramas, and everyday conversation.
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