noun

otaku

oh-TAH-koo

noun

Someone with an intense, all-consuming interest in a hobby or subject, especially a devoted fan of Japanese anime or manga.

"He's a total otaku — his apartment is wall-to-wall anime figures and manga volumes."

"She got into anime as a teenager and has been a proud otaku ever since."

How to Use Otaku

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA hardcore, dedicated fan — usually of anime or manga, though the word has spread to describe obsessive fans of other niche hobbies too.

Common mistake

In Japan the word can still carry a slightly negative, "socially awkward shut-in" undertone, whereas in English it's mostly used neutrally or even as a badge of honor among fans.

Common pairings

a total otaku anime otaku otaku culture

Word Forms

otakus plural, otaku plural

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He's a total _____ — his apartment is wall-to-wall anime figures and manga volumes.

Etymology

From Japanese オタク (otaku), which grew out of お宅 (otaku), a formal way of saying "your home" or "you." Fans in the early-1980s Macross anime fandom used it to address each other, and outsiders picked it up as a label — originally a bit of an insult, later reclaimed with pride by fans themselves.

Rhymes for otaku

Saku Baku Taku

See all rhymes for otaku →