Thread: мужик

What does it mean ? A human male but with what shade of meaning?

I often see that word in jokes. Looks like a colloquial lexeme

Before the Revolution this word meant "commoner, man of the common people".
Now it can be used as a colloquial form of "a man" (it's a bit rude). It also can be used ironically or if you want to underline your own or your interlocutor's machismo. "Ты мужик или нет??" "Ты настоящий мужик".