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otaku

otaku

2 9.9
A person who loves anime and manga and often collects toys and books
  • noun
  • /oʊˈtɑːku/
  • Jargon
translation icon : otaku
  • Luckily, being otaku was not our only reason for going to Japan.

Examples

  • Students like to call themselves otaku.

    Academic text (2012)
  • I'm the chief otaku of this website, and I hope to spread the love for Japanese culture.

    Blog text (28)
  • All that said, I like the mood of the series because I'm just the otaku type that it's pandering towards!

    Blog text (33)
  • Plus, it was nice for an otaku (also known as an anime and manga freak) like me to get some more vocab.

    Blog text (34)
  • During the convention, I met many otaku who shared my enthusiasm for anime and manga.

  • Being an otaku means you not only enjoy watching anime but also love discussing its cultural impact.

  • At the meeting, the group of otaku exchanged tips on the best series from the last season.

Antonyms

1 9.9

Having only a small, not serious interest in a subject and little real knowledge

Compounds

9.9

A life focused on anime, manga and video games

How Enthusiastic

fanatic
8 4.3
otaku
  • Jargon
2 9.9
aficionado
27 7.7
enthusiast
81 3.4
fan
1.0
dilettante
1 9.9

Surface Forms

otaku singular
otakus plural

Etymology

Otaku comes from the polite Japanese word お宅 that means 'your home' or 'your house'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of someone who spends a lot of time at home on hobbies like anime and manga, which is why otaku now means a person who is very interested in Japanese pop culture.