What does “Okan” mean? オカン
“Okan（オカン）” means “mother” in the Kinki dialect, and is mainly used by sons for their own mothers.
“Okan” means “mother” in the Kinki dialect, and is mainly used by sons for their own mothers.
They usually don’t use the word much to the mothers of others, but they call “okan” the mothers of their close friends or some mothers who already know with some familiarity. The mother is “okaasan” in Japanese. In the Kinki region, when children are young, their mothers are often called “okaahan（おかあはん）”.
Then, when the sons enter puberty, the way of calling becomes “okan”, omitting the term.
By the way, fathers are called “oton（オトン）”.
Many comedians from the Kinki region appear on Japanese TV programs. “Okan” and “oton” are often used in their conversations, so those uses have become known throughout the country, and some young people in the area other than the Kinki area seem to use them.
