男

• Gender/Sex: Male or man.
• Kinship: Son.
• Rank: A technical title of nobility, specifically the fifth rank (公, 侯, 伯, 子, 男), translated as "baron."
• Proper Name: Used as a surname in genealogical or biographical contexts.

• Contrast with 子: While both can mean son, 男 typically emphasizes the maleness of the child, often signaling that the passage concerns inheritance, ritual obligations, or the continuation of the patriarchal line.
• Contrast with 夫: 男 denotes gender/category; 夫 more frequently implies social maturity, marital status (husband), or a specific social class (laborer).

Tang-period reading: *nom.

Composition consists of 田 (field) and 力 (strength/power).

In kinship contexts, determine whether the text refers to biological nature (male) or a specific position in a lineage (son). In texts concerning feudal hierarchy or bureaucracy, treat as a technical designation of rank, which is unrelated to gender or kinship.