Tuesday, 5 May 2015

word choice - Can 彼 be used as an indefinite pronoun like やつ or 男?



気取らない彼が好きです。 I like him, who doesn't put on airs.



My first reading of this sentence was to assume that 彼 was referring to the boyfriend meaning of 彼, and thus my interpretation was "I like an unpretentious kind of boyfriend". My second interpretation was wrong as well= "I like a guy who doesn't put on airs." The correct interpretation is the definite pronoun, him.



However, can 彼 be used to mean guy or man in the same way that words like やつ and 男 are used as indefinite pronouns?


Don't be that kind of guy. : あんなやつみたいになってはいけないよ。


Don't be that kind of guy. : あんな彼みたいになってはいけないよ。(I now think this interpretation is incorrect)


I like a kind-hearted kind of guy: 心優しい彼が好き。I suppose the right interpretation of this sentence would be, "I like him, who is kind hearted" (I like him because he is kind hearted)


Would this be correct?




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