ワンマン

Japanese

Etymology

Borrowed from English one man,^[1]^[2] as used in phrases like one-man show. Listed incorrectly in some sources^[3] as wasei eigo, likely due to the divergence in meaning. Used in compounds, many of which point towards the original borrowed meaning of simply one man.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ワンマン [wáꜜǹmàǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2]
IPA^(key): [β̞ã̠mːã̠ɴ]

Adjective

ワンマン • (wanman) -na (adnominal ワンマンな (wanman na), adverbial ワンマンに (wanman ni))

dictatorial, autocratic, domineering: ignoring the opinions of others and enforcing one's own desires
ワンマンな店(てん)長(ちょう)
wanman na tenchō
a dictatorial shop manager

Inflection

Inflection of **ワンマン**
Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	ワンマンだろ	wanman daro
Continuative (連用形)	ワンマンで	wanman de
Terminal (終止形)	ワンマンだ	wanman da
Attributive (連体形)	ワンマンな	wanman na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	ワンマンなら	wanman nara
Imperative (命令形)	ワンマンであれ	wanman de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	ワンマンではないワンマンじゃない	wanman de wa nai wanman ja nai
Informal past	ワンマンだった	wanman datta
Informal negative past	ワンマンではなかったワンマンじゃなかった	wanman de wa nakatta wanman ja nakatta
Formal	ワンマンです	wanman desu
Formal negative	ワンマンではありませんワンマンじゃありません	wanman de wa arimasen wanman ja arimasen
Formal past	ワンマンでした	wanman deshita
Formal negative past	ワンマンではありませんでしたワンマンじゃありませんでした	wanman de wa arimasen deshita wanman ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	ワンマンで	wanman de
Conditional	ワンマンなら（ば）	wanman nara (ba)
Provisional	ワンマンだったら	wanman dattara
Volitional	ワンマンだろう	wanman darō
Adverbial	ワンマンに	wanman ni
Degree	ワンマンさ	wanmansa

Noun

ワンマン • (wanman)

“one man”, driver-only operation, often applied to a train or bus with a driver but no conductor
a dictator, an autocrat
(music) live performance exclusively featuring one performer (band, group, etc.)

Derived terms

ワンマンカー (wanman kā): a bus, streetcar, or train with only a driver and no conductor
ワンマン経(けい)営(えい) (wanman keiei): domineering or autocratic management
ワンマンコントロール (wanman kontorōru): one-man control, as of equipment or machinery
ワンマンショー (wanman shō): a one-man show
ワンマンチーム (wanman chīmu): (baseball) a team that relies entirely on its pitcher

References

^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988), 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Ineko Kondō, Fumi Takano, Mary E. Althaus, et al. (2002), Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, third edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN

[KDJ-1] Shōgaku Tosho (1988), 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[3] Ineko Kondō, Fumi Takano, Mary E. Althaus, et al. (2002), Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, third edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN

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