Popular: モテ vs 人気


In the anime adaptation of the manga [The Quintessential
Quintuplets](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/93612/the-
quintessential-quintuplets-
aka-%e4%ba%94%e7%ad%89%e5%88%86%e3%81%ae%e8%8a%b1%e5%ab%81-is-%e5%b1%8a%e3%81%8f%e3%82%93%e3%81%a7%e3%81%99-it-
reaches-a-mondegreen), as well as the corresponding manga, I notice these 3
times (besides [this](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/95133/is-
there-any-word-popular-
in-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%84%E3%82%93%E3%82%82%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F%E4%BC%BC%E3%81%A0%E3%81%97%E3%81%84%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B%E3%82%93%E3%81%98%E3%82%84%E3%81%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%81%8B))
the word 'popular' (in the subtitles) was used:

Scene 1: Re 2 of the quintuplets Nino and Itsuki: Nino says to Itsuki
'男にモテねーぞー' for eating a lot. Popular here is 'モテ'.

> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/h0sVt.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/h0sVt.jpg)

Scene 2: Raiha thinks 'お兄ちゃんが急にモテだした' when Raiha's onii-chan gets a massage
from the quintuplets. Popular here is again 'モテ'.

> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WG3vr.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WG3vr.jpg)

Scene 3: Re 2 of the quintuplets Miku and Ichika: Miku says about Ichika
'可愛くて社交的で男子から人気で.' This time, popular, is '人気'.

> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cY8rP.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cY8rP.jpg)

Questions:

  1. What's up with the katakana: モテ is borrowing/loaning from what?

  2. So how does モテ differ from 人気, in particular with that 'popular' appears to be used the same way...unless it's referring to Ichika's popularity as a semi-professional actress?

Here's [an answer](https://hinative.com/questions/19191238?locale=en-
US#answer-45095077) I read (which I guess assumes heteronormativity, rather
than really literally 'opposite sex') :

> 人気 means for an object to be popular and モテる means for a person be popular
> among the opposite sex.

And [another answer](https://hinative.com/questions/16575006?locale=en-
US#answer-38983705) I read:

> 人気 is enable to use in wide situation.
>
>   1. The actress is popular among young male.→あの女優は若い男性に人気です。
>   2. Lately, this manga is popular in my class.→最近、私のクラスではこの漫画が人気です。
>   3. In Japan, Watching baseball is popular for a long
> time.→長い間、日本では野球観戦が人気です。
>

2.1 - Is the different hiragana (different _**reading**_ , is the term right?)
for 男 (おとこ vs だん) possibly relevant here? And actually what's up with the
different hiragana/reading for 男?




モテる is a purely Japanese word. See:

  * [Why are katakana preferred over hiragana or kanji sometimes?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/1930/5010)
  * [Why is the word オタク written in katakana?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/46870/5010)

And for the etymology, read these:

  * [What is the etymology of モテる?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/65901/5010)
  * [The meaning of モテる](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/91118/5010)

The use of モテる is basically restricted to the context related to romantic
interest. クラスの男子にモテる means many guys want her as a girlfriend. But when many
guys like or respect her as a friend or a classmate but not necessarily as a
romantic partner, クラスの男子に人気だ is the only choice. Besides, モテる is still a
little slangy word, whereas 人気 is safe even in very formal documents. I guess
人気 was chosen in the last example because this seems to be a rather serious
discussion not limited to Ichika's sex appeal.

男【おとこ】 and 男子【だんし】 are different words (the former is closer to "guy" and the
latter "boy", though this is very simplified). The difference is not really
relevant in explaining the meaning of モテる.

