Etymology

Borrowing from Japanese 美少年 ‎(bishōnen びしょうねん), from Middle Chinese 美 ‎(míj, “beautiful”) + 少年 ‎(ʃèw-nen, “teenaged boy”) (compare Mandarin 少年 ‎(shàonián)).

bishonen ‎(uncountable)

1. An Asian aesthetic of young men whose beauty (and sex appeal) transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation, found in manga, etc.