Otoko no ko in Japanese means "boy" or "male child".
Although, in anime, manga and related subcultures, the term otoko no ko in Japanese is also a slang pun on the original meaning, and refers to a male character who dresses and also presents as a girl, which is often translated as "cross dresser".
The straightforward meaning of otoko no ko in Japanese is simply "boy" or child" and is also used commonly without any special connotations.
And the "otokonoko" genre uses the kanji, substituting the character for "child" with the character for "daughter/girl".
This also creates a pun, which refers to a "boy-girl," "boy-daughter," or even a "boy-princess".
The term otoko no ko in Japanese specifically describes male characters that have a culturally feminine gender expression, often through cross dressing or by having a feminine appearance to them.
Otokonokos are Japanese men who dress in feminine clothing for entertainment – much like drag culture.
The practice dates back 3 centuries.
In the #Focus report, Yuko Sano, Alexis Bregere and Yena Lee find out how Otokonokos are challenging norms in a socially conservative society.