What period in life each of those words refer to?


I was wondering about what each of the following word is referring to:

男の子/女の子 男子/女子 男性/女性 男/女

I know the literal translation of each, but couldn't figure out on whom to use
it. Thank you




The nuances of words will be different to everybody, each speaker has his/her
own understanding of the shades of words, so it's hard to give an exact age
number for these words. However, here are the general consensus:

**男{おとこ}の子{こ}/女{おんな}の子{こ}** : Used to refer to children and young adults,
generally speaking, anyone below the age of thirty could be referred to as
男の子/女の子, although for those already married or even have had children, 男の子/女の子
will be unlikely.

**男{だん}子{し}/女{じょ}子{し}** : A more formal version than 男の子/女の子. Can be seen on
more formal documents, but since the kanji 子 is used it still gives a feeling
of "youngness". Can be used for children and young adults.

**男{おとこ}の人{ひと}/女{おんな}の人{ひと}** : A general term for "men/women". No restriction
on age, but you wouldn't wanna refer to someone young as 男の人/女の人 though(you
still could), calling those young people 男の子/女の子 would be more suitable,
especially children.

**男{だん}性{せい}/女{じょ}性{せい}** : The most formal version of "male/female" of them
all. No restrictions on age at all, and more often than not 男性/女性 refers to
the gender rather than the person. Like 男の人/女の人 would refer to "a male
person/a female person" and 男の子/女の子 is "a male child/a female child", but
男性/女性 is just "male/female". Can be the person, but can also be just the
gender. When you fill out a form where you specify your gender, 男性/女性 are the
options you're probably gonna see.

**男{だん・おとこ}/女{じょ・おんな}** : Not really used in speech, and in writing, these can
be a shorthand of 男性/女性. For example, there are washroom signs with just 男/女
on them, or when filling a form instead of 男性/女性 they can show you 男/女
instead. However, 男/女 **can** be used in speech to address a male/female
person, when they're read as 男{おとこ}/女{おんな}, like あの男{おとこ}… あの女{おんな}… This is
**very disrespectful** way of addressing people, so unless you're really mad
at someone, you don't wanna call them by this.

P.S. When 男 and 女 comes together to form a word it's read as 男{なん}女{にょ}




The nuances of words will be different to everybody, each speaker has his/her
own understanding of the shades of words, so it's hard to give an exact age
number for these words. However, here are the general consensus:

**男{おとこ}の子{こ}/女{おんな}の子{こ}** : Used to refer to children and young adults,
generally speaking, anyone below the age of thirty could be referred to as
男の子/女の子, although for those already married or even have had children, 男の子/女の子
will be unlikely.

**男{だん}子{し}/女{じょ}子{し}** : A more formal version than 男の子/女の子. Can be seen on
more formal documents, but since the kanji 子 is used it still gives a feeling
of "youngness". Can be used for children and young adults.

**男{おとこ}の人{ひと}/女{おんな}の人{ひと}** : A general term for "men/women". No restriction
on age, but you wouldn't wanna refer to someone young as 男の人/女の人 though(you
still could), calling those young people 男の子/女の子 would be more suitable,
especially children.

**男{だん}性{せい}/女{じょ}性{せい}** : The most formal version of "male/female" of them
all. No restrictions on age at all, and more often than not 男性/女性 refers to
the gender rather than the person. Like 男の人/女の人 would refer to "a male
person/a female person" and 男の子/女の子 is "a male child/a female child", but
男性/女性 is just "male/female". Can be the person, but can also be just the
gender. When you fill out a form where you specify your gender, 男性/女性 are the
options you're probably gonna see.

**男{だん・おとこ}/女{じょ・おんな}** : Not really used in speech, and in writing, these can
be a shorthand of 男性/女性. For example, there are washroom signs with just 男/女
on them, or when filling a form instead of 男性/女性 they can show you 男/女
instead. However, 男/女 **can** be used in speech to address a male/female
person, when they're read as 男{おとこ}/女{おんな}, like あの男{おとこ}… あの女{おんな}… This is
**very disrespectful** way of addressing people, so unless you're really mad
at someone, you don't wanna call them by this.

P.S. When 男 and 女 comes together to form a word it's read as 男{なん}女{にょ}

