This dictionary is a summary of all the terms I’ve reviewed in my slang reviews over the years. Clicking a word will link to a blog post that discusses the word and its etymology/origin, history, and use in more detail. The dictionary is not intended to contain all slang in the history of Japanese, but mainly terms not covered in English elsewhere. FAQ
A-Z行
BBA (ばばあ, ビービーエー)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An older woman, used both as joking self-depreciation and as a term of abuse
Example: 突然不良にBBAと呼ばれてかなりショックだった。(Some punk called me an old hag and I was shocked.)
BSS (ぼくがさきにすきだったのに)
Type: Noun, Media genre, Verb via +する
Meaning: A situation where someone is jealous or upset that someone else ended up with someone they had a romantic interest in, but the jealous party has no actual claim or right to be upset.
Example: 結婚相手紹介されて、BSSした。(They were introduced to the fiancé, and became extremely jealous.)
Note 1: BSS media is similar to NTR, but with the key difference that the third party has no actual recognized connection to their romantic interest, yet nevertheless feels like they have been stolen away.
Note 2: The passive form of “Person1にPerson2をBSSされる” is used to show that Person 3 had Person 2 “stolen” from them by Person 1.
B解 (びーかい)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: To block someone and then unblock them on social media, either to cause them to unfollow you (similar to a “soft block” in English), or to cause a mutual follower to unfollow you when you unfollow them (considered more polite than a one-sided removal).
Example: これはBTS担垢なので、BTSと関係ないフォロワーをB解する場合があります。ご理解ください。(This is BTS-focused account so I sometimes block-unblock followers who aren’t BTS related. Thanks for your understanding.)
CD食べている (しーでぃーたべている）
Type: Verb phrase
Meaning: Very good at live singing
Example: 推しがCD食べている！ (My bias is so good at singing, they sound better than the album)
Day2 (でーつー)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The second day without bathing, usually due to having too much fun doing things
Example: わぁ、もう私day2 (Oof I’m already two days without a shower)
DQN (ドキュン・でぃーきゅーえん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Dumbass, idiot, especially an inconsiderate one
Example: この学校なんてDQN学生ばっかりで嫌だ。(This school is full of morons and I hate it.)
Ghostship (ゴーストシップ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To “ship” two characters who are not officially couples, also called a 非公式カプ (ひこうしきかぷ) or 幻想カプ (げんそうかぷ). Sometimes written in katakana too.
Example: A君とB君は私のGhostshipだ (I ghostship A and B).
GKBR (ガクブル・ゴキブリ)
Type: Reaction, な adjective, noun
Meaning 1: Scared, shaking with fear
Example: 地震だったかな？gkbr (Was that an earthquake? Scary.)
Meaning 2: Cockroach
Example: gkbrだったかな？gkbr (Was that a cockroach? Scary.)
GRWM (ジーアルダブリューエム・ゲットレディーウィスミー)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Get ready with me, video where someone goes through their morning routine
Example: 皆さん！新しいGRWM動画をアップしたので是非みてください! (Everyone, I uploaded a new GRWM video so please watch!)
HSHS (ハスハス)
Type: Reaction, noun, verb via +する
Meaning 1: To be excited or horny, especially due to scent
Example: 彼の筋肉見てhshs (I saw his muscles and lost my breath)
Meaning 2: To bury your head in something and sniff it deeply
Example: 猫をhshsすると癒される (Nuzzling my nose into my cat and sniffing deeply calms me [see 猫吸い]).
KPする (けーぴー・かんぱい)
Type: Verb
Meaning 1: Cheers!
Example: はい、これでKPするぜ！ (Alright, let’s cheers!)
Meaning 2: To act as dungeon master (in an RPG)
Example: KPするとき、たまにプレーヤーを助けるために自分が転がしたサイコロの目の数を密かに減らす。(When I DM, sometimes I lower the results of my dice to help out the players.)
KS (ケーエス)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning 1: Being left on read, someone reading your message and not responding
Example: 先週メールしたのにまだKSだよ！(I sent the mail last week but I’m still on read!)
Meaning 2: Kill steal
Example: おい沼、KSするな (Hey noob don’t kill steal)
Meaning 3: Dumbass
Example: しらないの？GGRKS (You don’t know? Google it dumbass.)
KSK (かそく or ケーエスケー)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: Used to move a thread along or fill it with spam
Example: 「レスが１００超えたら皆に秘密を言う。」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」「ksk」
(“When this gets 100 responses I’ll tell you all a secret!” “response” “response” “response” “response” “response” “response”)
Meaning 2: Marry me please
Example: 僕とKSK (Please marry me)
KWSK (くわしく)
Type: Response, adverb
Meaning 1: Explain with detail or, in adverb form, with detail
Example: KSWK説明してください (Please explain in detail)
Meaning 2: Used as shorthand for “my details”
Example: kswk: このリンクを踏んで (For details: click this link)
LJC (エルジェーシー・ラストじょしこうせい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A girl in their final year of junior high school
Example: 今LJCだから来年JKになる。(I’m a girl in my last year of JHS so next year I’ll be a high school girl.)
MH (エムエーチ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Ignoring a message without reading it or not answering any messages
Example: 元カノからのSMSが届いたけどこのままMHにするつもり。(I got a message from my ex boyfriend but I’m not planning to read it.)
IHYする (イヤッッホォォォオォオウする)
Type: Verb
Meaning: To buy something, especially but not exclusively something digital/electronic, on impulse
Example: 新品のカメラをIHYするかも (I might just buy a new camera)
ILYポーズ (あいえるわいぽーず）
Type: Noun
Meaning: A pose made by extending your thumb, pointer, and pinky finger, but lowering your middle and ring fingers, with the palm facing outward
Example: MVの最後のシーンに皆がILYポーズを取る (At the end of the music video they all make the ILY pose)
JKポーズ
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A specific pose made by making the “J” shape with your left hand, palm out and using the thumb and pointer finger, and then making the “peace” sign with your right hand, and place it palm-facing-you under your left hand to make a “K”.
Meaning 2: Any pose created and/or popularized by young women
Example: JKポーズはJKポーズだ (The JK Pose is an example of a JK pose)
NNT (ないないてい or エヌエヌティ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The condition of having no job and no job offers
Example: 私は内定も内々定もないのでNNTだよ。(I have no official or unofficial job offers so I’m prospect-less right now.)
ROMる (ろむる)
Type: Verb
Meaning: To lurk (e.g., on a website or forum)
Example: 今までROMったけど昨日やっと垢を作った。(I’ve just lurked until now but I finally created an account yesterday.)
ry) (いかりゃく)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Used at the end of a sentence to mean “everything after this was cut”, especially to hide/not state your opinion
Example: 最近のアニメはね、ぜんぜんおもry) (Anime these days is really (redacted))
TNJ女子 (てぃーえぬじぇーじょし)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A term of abuse used to refer to women that the speaker feels aren’t anything special despite being popular (especially with men)
Example: TNJ女子のくせにいつも見栄を張りやがって… (Despite being completely average she’s always acting like she’s hot shit…)
Note: The term has been “reclaimed” by some to refer to themselves a woman who is popular despite appearing “plain” at first glance
WKTK (わくてか)
Type: Reaction, noun, verb via +する
Meaning: Very excited, especially due to anticipation
Example: 明日はお休みだ！wktk!
Note: Sometimes written wkta
Yガール (わいがーる)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A girl who is a fan of Thai Boy’s Love media
Example: 最近タイ沼にはまっちゃったので、私もYガールになったかな。(I’ve become obsessed with Thai drama so I guess I’m a Y-girl too now.)
あ行
アオハル
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Young/teenaged, or giving a sense of youth before major responsibilities kicked in which is nostalgic and positive
Example: 喫茶店で笑いながら話し合っている高校生カップルを見てアオハルだった (I saw a high school couple talking in a cafe while laughing and it made me nostalgic for youth)
アクキー
Type: Noun
Meaning: Acrylic prints of characters, idols, etc., used to make keychain decorations or keyholders
Example: え、ピカチューのアクキーじゃん？かわいい！(Oh is that an acrylic Pikachu keyholder? Cute!)
アクスタ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Acrylic prints of characters, idols, etc., that are placed on a stand and used for decoration or similar purposes
Example: 推しの写真をたくさん印刷して、アクスタを作るのが楽しい。(It is fun to print off photos of my bias and make little acrylic figures.)
あ、（察し) (あ、さっし)
Type: Response
Meaning: Ah, I got it, I won’t ask anything more
Example: 「昨日ね、元カレが家に遊びに来て…」「あ、察し」(“Yesterday my ex-boyfriend came over…” “Ah, say no more.”)
あざとかわいい
Type: い Adjective
Meaning: Acting cute purposefully. Usually a positive term, but can sometimes have the implication of doing so to manipulate or attract people
Example: 彼女の文字はあざとかわいいし、顔も綺麗で、すごく美しい人。(Her letters are cute in an affected way, her face is pretty, she’s just a gorgeous person.)
Note: Sometimes shortened to あざかわ
アタオカ
Type: Noun, Adjective via な
Meaning: A crazy or odd person, or, as an adjective, crazy or odd
Example: アタオカなおじさんからのメールは本当に嫌だ (I can’t stand these messages from all these crazy old men)
圧倒的感謝 (あっとうてきかんしゃ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Extremely thankful; sometimes used in a sarcastic manner
Example: 今日も残業？同僚と会社に圧倒的感謝！(Overtime again today? I’m SUPERTHANKFUL to all my coworkers and my company!)
当て馬 (あてうま)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A character in a media product who is either in love with the main character but ends up third fiddle, often proving the love between the other two characters in doing so, or who is dated by another character only to make the protagonist jealous
Example: 彼は叶わない恋をして当て馬にされてしまった (He had an impossible love, and ended up the losing end of the triangle)
あなたの感想ですね (あなたのかんそうですね）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A phrase ostensibly used to call someone out for making a claim based more on feeling than fact, but in use mostly employed to rile people up and/or as a trollish rejoinder to dismiss someone’s statement.
Example: この政治のほうがいいなんて、あなたの感想ですね。(You say this politician is better but like, that’s just your opinion, man.)
アバン
Type: Noun
Meaning: The opening credits of an anime, show, or film
Example: 残念ながら、アバンのほうが映画より面白かった。(Unfortunately the opening credits were more interesting than the movie.)
浴びる（あびる）
Type: Verb
Meaning: To receive fanservice, information about a media product, or something you like relating to a media product
Example: 推しのファンサを浴びて幸せ！(My bias noticed me and I’m filled with delight!)
あぼーん
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To disappear, to break, to stop functioning properly, to be in a bad state/spirits, to be finished (with a negative outcome), to die
Example: 課金しぎて銀行口座があぼーん。(I spent too much on mobile games and now my bank account is a blank.)
アポペン
Type: Noun
Meaning: An Apple stylus for drawing
Example: アポペンを使っている (I’m using a pen stylus [to draw with])
アマゾン生える (あまぞんはえる)
Type: Verb
Meaning: ROFL
Example: めっちゃおもしろい！アマゾン生える！ (That’s so funny lololol)
ありがとナス
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A slang/silly way of saying “thank you”
Example: 今日はホントにありがとナス！(Shanks for today!)
言い値で買う (いいねでかう)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I’ll buy it at any price!, used to express a desire for something to be made/sold, similar to “shut up and take my money” in English
Example: このキャラのグッズを言い値で買うから速く作ってほしい。(I’ll pay any price for merch involving this character so I want them to make some very soon.)
生きるwww (いきる)
Type: Response
Meaning: A way of expressing humor or amusement, especially to get past sites that filter words like “I’m dead” and/or to sound a bit more positive
Example: この動画ちょーおもしれ！生きるwww (This video is hilarious I’m alive hahaa)
イケボ
Type: Noun, Verb via +る (rare)
Meaning: A sexy voice, usually male
Example: ぜひ、そのイケボを世界に届けて！ (Please send your gorgeous voice out into the world)
井田ポン (いだぽん)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: A light, loving touch on the head with one’s full palm, specifically from Ida Kōsuke in Kieta Hatsukoi.
Example: 夢の中で井田ポンをもらって起きたくなかった。(Ida touched my on my head in my dream and I didn’t want to wake up.)
Note: When someone else does an 井田ポン style touch, it is phrased as 井田ポンならぬNAMEポン.
一万円企画 (いちまんえんきかく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A fad of going somewhere and buying as much as you can with 10,000 yen, usually food (which you then eat)
Example: 四人でマックの一万円企画したぁ～！お腹パンパン (Four of us bought 10,000 yen worth of food at MacDonald’s and ate it! My stomach is going to burst)
いってこい
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Ups and downs, a situation where positives and negatives have occurred but ended up balancing out to zero
Example: 彼は腕があるけど、お金がかなりかかるから多分いってこいになる (He’s quite skilled, but costs a lot of money, so I imagine it would work out to no real change in profits at the end)
Note: Sometimes written as イッテコイ
一丁目一番地 (いっちょうめいちばんち)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The most important thing, or the thing that needs to be handled first
Example: このプロジェクトは会社にとって一丁目一番地だ。(This project is priority #1 for our company)
一発殴らせろ (いっぱつなぐらせろ)
Type: Exclamation, phrase
Meaning: I am overcome with emotion about a thing, positive or negative
Example: 一発殴らせろ、可愛すぎ (Too cute, can’t control myself)
イッヌ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Cute way of saying “dog”, いぬ
Example: 見て、あそこに小さくて茶色のイッヌがたくさんいる！(Look, there’s a bunch of small, brown doggies over there!)
一般人 (いっぱんじん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A non-otaku person, a normal person, someone who is “not online” or someone who is a “normie”
Example: 仕事で一日中一般人擬態するんだけど、帰ってからすぐネット友と全開放 (At work I act like a normie all day but when I get home I immediately let my otaku out with my online friends).
イッピ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Normal people, non-otaku
Example: イッピの友達と話した時「オタクなんて嫌だね」と言われてちょっとショックをうけた (My normie friend told me they hate otaku and I got a bit shocked).
イッピ袋 (いっぴぶくろ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A bag covered with pictures of idols etc. that someone likes, similar to an 痛バッグ but with a more home-made feel, and associated with an earlier generation
Example: 私がイッピ袋を持って行ったが周りに痛バッグしかなくて自分の年を実感した。(I took an ippibukuro but around me were a bunch of itabaggu so I felt old)
いとしなもん
Type: Noun
Meaning: Raising your hands above your head and curving them into “U” shapes for a pose to make “ears” similar to those of the Sanrio Cinnamoroll character
Example: プリクラでいとしなもんポーズなう！(We’re doing the Cinnamoroll pose in the photo booth right now!)
今北産業 (いまきたさんぎょう)
Type: Noun, response
Meaning: I just got here so please summarize everything for me
Example: じゃ、今北産業の人のために簡単に説明するね。(Okay, I’ll explain quickly for those who just got here.)
インスタ蠅 (いんすたばえ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A person who spends too much time trying to take photos that will get popular on Instagram, especially in a manner that troubles others
Example: インスタ蠅と一緒に食べるのがつらいよね。食べさせてくれる前に写真をたくさん撮って、お腹がつくもん。(Eating with someone who is obsessed with Instagram is rough. They take so many photos before they let you eat that you get hungry.)
インターネット老人会 (いんたーねっとろうじんかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A phrase used self-depreciatingly when reminiscing about the early days of the internet, or a conversation about that topic
Example: インターネット老人会になりますが、９０年代のフラッシュゲームの単純さが最近のゲームになくて残念だと思わない？(This is like and old man internet discussion, but does anyone else miss the innocence of those old flash games when they play modern ones?)
インパする
Type: Verb
Meaning: To go to Disneyland
Example: 今日インパする人が多いみたい (A lot of people are going to Disneyland today it seems)
引リツ (いんりつ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To quote-tweet
Example: 引リツが見えなくて怖い (Scary how I can’t se the quote tweets)
うp主 (うぷぬし)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The person who uploaded something
Example: あ、実は私はその動画の元のうp主なんだ。(Oh actually I’m the person who originally uploaded that video.)
嘘松 (うそまつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A liar or the lies they tell
Example: それは嘘松ではないかと思う (I think that might be BS)
うらる
Type: Noun
Meaning: URL
Example: このうらるを踏んでね! (Click this link, okay?)
産みたい (うみたい)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I like this idol a whole lot
Example: 田中君のような子産みたい！(I love Tanaka-san so much I’d want to give birth to a child like him!)
絵アド (えあど)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: The advantage, often not serious, that a piece of art gives you in a card game
Example: 絵アドが高すぎて負けても構わない (The art is so good I don’t even care if I lose [because of the card])
Meaning 2: The quality of art, especially digital art in/for a game
Example: 絵アドが高くても低くても特に構わない。ゲーム自体が大事だ思う (I don’t personally care if the art is good or bad, for me it’s more about if the game itself is good)
エイム
Type: Noun, Verb via +る (rare)
Meaning: One’s aiming ability, especially in a video game
Example: あんたは神エイムで私はクソエイムでたのしくない (You have amazing aim and my aim is shit so it’s no fun)
えいや
Type: Noun, but usually Adverb via で
Meaning: To do something with great energy but not much attention to detail, or just to do something in a slipshod/rushed manner
Example: ホテルなどをえいやで決めたけどいい旅行だった。(We just kind of chose hotels and stuff by ear, but it ended up being a good trip.)
エグち
Type: な adjective
Meaning: On another level of quality, superior
Example: 可愛さがエグちだ (It’s earth-shattering cuteness)
イケチェン
Type: Noun
Meaning: Cute way of saying “baby”, often used as a hashtag to mark pictures of baby animals, or a way of saying that someone is cute in a innocent way
Example: うさぎのエケチェンを見て癒された (I saw a baby bunny and it made me feel good)
Note: Often written in 1/2 width katakana as ｲｹﾁｪﾝ
エス
Type: Noun
Meaning: Two female friends/lovers, or media about that topic
Example: 私はエスが好き (I like stories about women friends/lovers)
円盤 (えんばん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A CD, DVD, or any other kind of circular disk-based media
Example: 曲の円盤化を楽しみにしている！ (I’m excited about the song’s release on CD!)
鉛筆なめなめ (えんぴつなめなめ)
Type: Noun, Verb via + する
Meaning 1: To cook the books, to fudge numbers to create a result
Example: 鉛筆なめなめで帳尻を合わせた。(I was able to balance the books by fudging the numbers a bit)
Meaning 2: Extensive writing, hard work, or deep, productive thought
Example: カフェで六時間ぐらい鉛筆なめなめした。
遠慮の塊 (えんりょのかたまり)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The last item left over, usually food
Example: 遠慮の塊を食べてもいい？ (Can I eat this last bit that’s been sitting here?)
お祈りメール (おいのりメール)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A rejection mail from a job, sometimes just called お祈り
Example: 今日お祈りを喰らったのでちょっとブルー (I got a rejection letter so I’m kinda bummed out today.)
オーケーカフ
Type: Nounff
Meaning: A pose made by making the “OK” sign, and then clasping your ear between your thumb and forefinger or a response that something is okay
Example: 「オーケーカフしていい？」「オーケーカフだよ」(“May I okay-cuff?” “That’s alright with me!”)
Note: The opposite is ダメカフ. The emoji for the gesture オーケーカフ is👂👌, and the emoji for ダメカフ is ❌👂👌
おｈ (おはよう)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Good morning
Example: カナちゃん、おｈ！(Mornin’ Kana!)
お冠 (おかんむり)
Type: Noun, Exclamation
Meaning: Angry
Example: ガチャでお金をたくさん使ったのに当たらなくてお冠 (I spent a lot of money on a gatcha game and didn’t get what I want so I’m pissed)
Note: Also seen as お冠状態 (おかんむりじょうたい)
お気持ち表現 (おきもちひょうげん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A gripe or complaint that the user of the term feels is unjustified or silly; can be used to note the lack of importance of one’s own complaints, but is generally used to critique others
Example: なんで毎日同じお気持ち表現するだろう (Why do they bitch about the same stupid stuff every day I wonder)
おきゅ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Work, especially in a maid cafe or similar location
Example: 今日は8時までおきゅ！会いに来てね！ (I’ll be working at the cafe from 8! Come and see me!)
Note: おきゅいん is used to mean “I’m at work (at the maid cafe) now”.
おくちょ
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Send it to me please
Example: 昨日撮った写真を全部おくちょね！(Send me the photos from yesterday okay!)
Note: Is sometimes verbed as おくっちょる, especially in the past tense おくちょった, but some people use this to mean “sent” in reference to something they sent rather than “sent to me”
おこ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A cute, playful way of expressing that you are angry
Example: 帰った時おこだったけどビールを飲んだりして落ち着いた。(I was all angerz when I went home but I had a beer and calmed down.)
おこｋ (おけ、おこけ）
Type: Noun
Meaning: OK
Example: 準備おこｋ！（All ready!)
推しカチューシャ (おしかちゅーしゃ）
Type: Noun
Meaning: Hair bands with pictures of the idol you like attached to them as a craft product/fan item
Example: 明日のライブに備えて、推しカチューシャを準備中。(I’m making some idol-art hair bands for the live tomorrow.)
推し被り (おしかぶり)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When someone has the same 推し (person you stan) as you, or that person
Example: 多くの人は推し被りが嫌いだけど、私はそうではない。逆に推しが多くの人に愛されて、嬉しい。(Lots of people hate people who share their bias, but not me. Rather, I’m happy my bias is so loved.)
推しの死 (おしのし)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When your bias – usually fictional in this case – dies
Example: 推しの死を願う人間いるの？ (Are there people who want their favorite characters to die?)
推し増やし (おしふやし)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To increase the number of people/things you are a fan of
Example: オンリー担だったが推し増やしをしてグループ担になった (I originally only supported one member but I’ve increased how many idols I stan and now I like the whole group)
推し変 (おしへん)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To change from being a fan of one thing/person to another, usually but not exclusively idols
Example: お茶からコーヒーに推し変した (I’ve gone from being a tea drinker to a coffee fan)
推しブラシ (おしぶらし）
Type: Noun
Meaning: A customized brush with pictures of your bias on it, often heavily decorated and with a removable clear back cover that assists with holding photos
Example: 昨日推しブラシ作った！ (I made a fan-brush yesterday!)
推しピク (おしぴく)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A fancy picnic where you display images/dolls of your oshi
Example: 今日は推しピクの日！写真いっぱい取ろう！(Today’s the day of our bias-themed fancy picnic! Let’s take lots of photos!)
Meaning 2: Your favorite Pikmin
Example: 赤ピクが推しピク (I like the red Pikmin)
Meaning 3: A photo you like
Example: これは素敵だから旅の推しピクにする (It’s really nice so I’m choosing it as my favorite photo of the trip)
おしゃピク
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: A fancy picnic
Example: 明日のおしゃピクのために素敵なカップケーキやワインをたくさん買っておいた。(I bought lots of nice cupcakes and wine for the fancy picnic tomorrow.
おしゃれ偏差値 (おしゃれへんさち)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The level to which something is more good looking than everything else. Phrases like “が高い” and “が凄い” often come after, as do the names of places seen as “great”, such as ハーバード.
Example: 彼のスタイル、おしゃれ偏差値ハーバード過ぎる (His fashion sense is like, better than the Harvard of fashion)
襲い受け (おそいうけ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: A submissive partner, usually in BL fiction, who aggressively initiates and leads the sexual activity.
Example: この章では、BがAを襲い受けしてhshs (In this chapter B is the bottom but they lead the sexual encounter and that excited me)
おそらきれい
Type: Phrase, noun
Meaning 1: A state of shock, surprise, or stress where you are unable to think
Example: 試験前だからおそらきれい状態になりそう。(It’s right before the test so I’m basically a complete blank.)
Meaning 2: When you spend lots of money in a game, usually the game Touken Ranbu specifically (see 爆死), and don’t get what you want
Example: いっぱい課金したが、一回も当たらなくて、おそらきれい…. (I spent all this money on a game, and I didn’t get one hit… I just, uhh, I need a minute…)
Note: おそらきたない is instead used when you do get what you want
お疲れサマンサ (おつかれさまんさ）
Type: Response
Meaning: A lame way of saying otsukaresama that died out in the 1980s, revived in youth popularity through the anime Jujutsu Kaisen
Example: 「がこおわー！」「お疲れサマンサ！」(“School’s out!” “See you later alligator”)
オタサーの姫 (おとさーのひめ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A single girl in a group of men, usually derogatory with the implication that the speaker thinks the girl is leading the men on/playing with their emotions to control them or a fashion style involving short skirts, high socks, and closed long jackets.
Example: オタサーの姫って言われたんだけどそれってあのあいつの偏見に過ぎないじゃん？(I was mocked for being a tease but that’s just his damn mindset.)
おててないない
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: When a small, cute animal, especially but not always a cat, sits or lies flat with its front legs hidden under its belly
Example: うさちゃんがおててないないできた (The bunny did the cute no-hands sitting thing)
大人買い (おとながい)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Originally, this referred to adults going out and buying large numbers of a product aimed at kids to get the bonus gifts attached. Now, however, it more commonly refers to adults buying all versions of something for the object itself (e.g., all volumes of a manga, or all releases in a limited product). At times, it can also just refer to まとめ買い, or buying a huge number of a same thing, although this use is rarer.
Example: ミスドの新品ドーナツを大人買いした。 (I bought one of every new type of donut from Mister Donuts)
おハーブですわ
Type: Phrase, Reaction
Meaning: An elegant form of LOL/ROFL, expressing laughter
Example: 最後の展開におハーブですわ (My word, the last bit made me roar with laughter)
Note: The phrase has a number of variant forms, which can be seen in the link above.
お前は今日何したんだよ (おまえはきょうなにしたんだよ）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A TikTok fad phrase which is used after a video discussing how the person overcame some hardship, and exhorting the viewer to do the same via often highly “masculine” language forms
Example: 今日俺は全然分からない日本語の流行語を分析したよ。大変だったけど、なんとなく理解できて、ちゃんとした説明も書いたぜ。お前は今日何したんだよ。お前も頑張れ。(Today I analyzed a bunch of Japanese slang I didn’t understand. It was hard, but I somehow figured it out, and even wrote a proper explanation. What did you do today, huh? Do your best as well.)
おめあり
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A phrase meaning “thanks for saying congrats”
Example: おめありおめあり！前向きに六十歳を迎えるぞ！(Thanks for all the congratulatory messages! I’ll go into my 60’s with a positive outlook!)
おめす
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Congratulations, a shortening of omedetougozaimasu
Example: オメタン！本当におめす！ (Happy birthday! Congrats, really!)
親フラ (おやふら)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An interruption, usually during a streaming session, by one’s parents, or a sign that the interruption is coming.
Example: 昨日親フラ多くてごめん！ (Sorry for all the times my parents walked in on yesterday’s stream!)
親指溶鉱炉 (おやゆびようこうろ)
Type: Noun, often in the phrase 親指溶鉱炉に沈むシーン
Meaning: I found this movie/media product moving/good but I’m not going to give details or spoilers
Example: 昨日の映画まっちゃよかったよ。親指溶鉱炉に沈むシーンは涙なしに見られなかった！(That movie yesterday was so good. I couldn’t stop crying at the scene where the guy sinks into the furnace and gives the thumbs up.)
オン眉 (おんまゆ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A haircut where the front rests just above the eyebrows.
Example: 今回みんながオン眉にした！(This time we all got the above-the-brows style cut!)
か行
懐古主義 (かいこしゅぎ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Nostalgia-ism, a love for an idealized past that causes critique of the present, a refusal to accept change, etc., boomerism
Example: 父の懐古主義にうんざり。(My dad is such a boomer I can’t deal with it.)
海外ガール (かいがいガール)
Type: Noun, Adjective via +の or direct attachment
Meaning: Something that gives of retro American girl vibes, as defined by the Japanese user, or, more rarely, the girls themselves
Example: 部屋を海外ガール風にした (I decorated my room in retro-90s American girl vibes)
解像度が高い (かいぞうどがたかい)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Something that causes your feeling of connection to someone or something to increase
Example: 解像度が高い言葉を使うと相手の頭に綺麗なイメージが浮かぶよ。(When you use really vivid language it helps an image of what you are saying appear in your interlocuter’s mind.)
蛙化現象 (かえるかげんしょう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When someone does something, usually small, that makes you lose interest in them
Example: ピザをナイフとフォークで食べてまじで蛙化現象 (They ate pizza with a knife and fork and I was like ‘oh god I can’t be with this person’)
顔パンツ (かおぱんつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A face-mask, often in a derogatory sense
Example: 花粉がひどいので顔パンツをした。(Because the pollen is awful I put on my face-underwear.)
課金 (かきん)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: To spend money on microtransactions
Example: 朝から夜までずっと課金して今ちょー金コマ (I spent money on microtransactions all day so money’s a bit tight)
確定演出 (かくていえんしゅつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A screen/animation that shows up in digital pachinko games before you win. By extension, the screen/animation that occurs in a gatcha game right before you get a rare item/reward.
Example: 花火が確定演出に見える (These fireworks look like the win screen on a gatcha game)
Meaning 2: Something (which attaches to/comes before 確定演出 in the sentence) is assured to happen.
Example: 今回も負ける確定演出 (This time we are once again sure to lose)
囲い (かこい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Fans of someone, usually streamers or idols. Often with the implication of annoying fans, which can be specified via the construction 囲い厨 (かこいちゅう)
Example: そんなに推しを褒めたりしなかったのに囲いと呼ばれて、よくわからん (I didn’t even praise my bias that much but they called me a fanboy, I don’t get it)
カスハラ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Abusive treatment (of staff) from customers
Example: 幸いなことに、この仕事でカスハラをあまり食らわない (Fortunately I don’t get a lot of shit from customers at this job)
片思い (かたおもい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When you follow someone and they don’t follow you back
Example: コメントくだされば必ずフォローするよ！でも片思いは三日まで (If you comment I’ll follow you! But I will stop after 3 days if you don’t follow back)
片思いハート (かたおもいはーと)
Type: Noun, Verb via + する
Meaning: A pose where one person makes a half-heart with their hands and the other person fails to complete it, usually by just giving a thumbs up. The person making the heart “does” the word in its verb form.
Example: 片思いハートをしたがっていて、とても良い写真取れた (They wanted to do the failed-heart pose and it turned into a great photo).
片思われ (かたおもわれ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When someone follows you but you don’t follow them
Example: 片思われの人を百人切りまぁす (I’m going to remove 100 of my followers that I don’t follow)
堅気 (かたぎ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Normal people, or more specifically non-yakuza
Example: ヤクザをやめて堅気になる (Stop being a yakuza and join regular society)
かたじけパーリナイ
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Thank you very much, I am very grateful
Example: ええ？こんなに買ってくれたの？かたじけパーリナイ！(Wha? You got this for me? Amaze-balls!)
カテマス
Type: Noun
Meaning: A “category master” on Yahoo! Chiebukuro
Example: 一方でカテマスはすごいと思うけど、他方で暇人だなとも思う。(On the one hand I think category masters are amazing, but on the other I think they have a lot of free time)
金コマ (かねこま)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Broke, has money troubles
Example: 明日は給料日だけど、今めっちゃ金コマ。(I get paid tomorrow but today I’m a bit tight.)
神回 (かみかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The best episode of an anime or media product
Example: この神回まだ見たことないの？お前本当に履修中だね？(You haven’t seen the episode yet? You really are still new to this aren’t you.)
カミ活 (かみかつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: Animals biting on things
Example: 今わんこがカミ活中 (Right now my dog is chewing on something)
Meaning 2: The manga/anime KamiKatsu: Working for God in a Godless World
Example: カミ活の神回見た? (Did you see the best episode of Kamikatsu?)
Meaning 3: Activities related to coming out of the closet
Example: 今日からカミ活を始めると思う (I think I’ll begin coming out from today)
カモる
Type: Verb
Meaning 1: To deceive, swindle
Example: ホストクラブに行くたびにカモられている気がして落ち着けない。(Every time I go to a host club I feel like I’m getting ripped off so I can’t relax.)
Meaning 2: To defeat easily
Example: プレーヤーAがプレーヤーBをカモった。(Player A wiped the floor with Player B.)
Meaning 3: To take someone out on a date, have them pay, and then split
Example: まだカモられたか？運が悪いな、おまえ。(You got ditched on a date again? You’ve got bad luck dude.)
[NOUN]からしか摂取できない栄養がある (からせっしゅできないえいよう)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I really like [noun], I couldn’t live without [noun]
Example: ラーメンからしか摂取できない栄養がある (I’d die without ramen)
考えるな、感じろ！(かんがえるな、かんじろ！）
Type: Phrase, Adjective (via direct attachment or +的な)
Meaning: A statement that people should enjoy a thing for what it is without thinking about it too much, or, when used as an adjective, indicating that something is a bit silly but ultimately good. Can be used humbly to refer to your own creations.
Example: 考えるな、感じろ的な作り方ですみませんが、この絵を描きました。(It’s a bit shoddy I know but I drew this.)
カンスト
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: To achieve a maximum score or personal best, to accomplish something to an extremely high degree
Example: カッコよさがカンストした！ (This is cooler than cool!)
完全勝利S (かんぜんしょうりえす)
Type: Exclamation, noun
Meaning: Obtaining the complete collection of something, with 完全勝利A, B, and C respectively indicating near-complete, decent, and beginning collections
Example: 昨日まで完全勝利Aだったが、今日やっと最後のカードを手に入れたので完全勝利S! (My collection was almost done yesterday, but today I finally got the last card so now it’s 100% complete!)
完全に一致 (かんぜんにいっち)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Two things look very similar, often in a humorous way
Example: 見て！この犬はあなたと完全に一致だぞ（草）(Look! This dog looks just like you lol)
Note: 完全一致 is a non-slang phrase meaning that two things are basically the same, so be careful not to confuse the two
カンペうちわ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A fan made for use at live shows, with messages written on it for the performers
Example: コンサートの前に新しいカンペうちわを作った (I made a new message-fan before the concert)
概念 (がいねん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An object that you feel is connected somehow to your bias or favorite character, usually through some kind of faint visual or color-based similarity
Example: 概念グッズ買った。(I bought various things that remind me of my bias)
概念アクセ (がいねんあくせ）
Type: Noun
Meaning: An accessory with a design and/or color that reminds you of someone or something (that you like)
Example: ピカチューの概念アクセを作った。ジッグザッグ型の黄色いピアス。(I made Pikachu-inspired accessories. Yellow earrings with a zig-zag pattern.)
ガクチカ
Type: Noun
Meaning: The things someone put energy into and got good at in school, especially as useful for answering questions about your past in job interviews
Example: ガクチカは？と絶対面接で聞かれるので考えておいた方がいい。(You will absolutely be asked about your talents in school at the interview so it’s good to think about it in advance.)
学費ちゅるちゅる (がくひちゅるちゅる)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: To make use of your university’s facilities, especially their charging stations
Example: 今図書館で学費ちゅるちゅる (Charging all my devices at the university library!)
ガチャリング
Type: Noun
Meaning: A ring from a gacha machine which is stylized around a wacky, highly visible design in the center rather than a jewel
Example: 刺身のガチャリングをゲットした。(I got rings with sashimi designs on them)
がっちゃんこする
Type: Verb
Meaning: To combine things, usually two
Example: ラーメンとうどんががっちゃんこされたような味 (It tastes like ramen and udon jammed together)
岩塩 (がんえん)
Type: な adjective
Meaning: Cold personality, not giving a warm reception
Example: 推しは岩塩だった (My bias wasn’t very welcoming)
ガラガラポン
Type 1: Adverb via で
Meaning 1: To do by lottery, randomly
Example: 今日の仕事をガラガラポンで決めよう (Let’s decide today’s task randomly)
Type 2: Verb via する
Meaning: To start from scratch
Example: 全部をガラガラしないと無駄 (If we don’t start over from 0 on everything there’s nothing that can be done)
記憶がない (きおくがない)
Type: Phrase
Meaning 1: Something amazing happened, or was exceptionally good
Example: 昨日楽しすぎて記憶がない。(Yesterday was so fun I can’t remember it.)
Meaning 2: Spent too much money and a bit embarrassed or humbly bragging
Example: おかしい、この漫画全巻ポチッタ記憶がない。(That’s odd, I have “no memory” of buying this complete manga collection online.)
希ガス (きがす)
Type: Verb, usually conjugated as 希ガす
Meaning: A replacement for 気がする, to feel like something
Example: 五時まで頑張れる希ガしない (I don’t think I can keep this up until 5)
貴族の遊び (きぞくのあそび)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A small treat
Example: ボーナスが入ったので近所の居酒屋でちょっと貴族の遊び！(I got my bonus so I’m going to treat myself at the local izakaya!)
きちゃ
Type: Exclamation, suffix
Meaning: [Noun before きちゃ] has happened, arrived, or been accomplished, and I am excited about this
Example: 世界一きちゃ！ (I made it to rank 1 in the world!)
きちゃない
Type: い adjective
Meaning: A cute/variant way of saying きたない, dirty
Example: 背景きちゃないけど写真アップした (The backgrounds a little messy but here’s a photo)
キテル
Type: Verb, but always in katakana regardless of conjugation
Meaning: Become popular/gain popularity
Example: 「この歌手最近めっちゃキテルね。」「そうだね。例の曲がきっかけで一気にキタわ。」(“This singer is really popular right now aren’t they.” “Yeah. That song just blew up.”)
気になって夜しか眠れない (きになってよるしかねむれない)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I am interested in or anticipating this to a large degree
Example: 新アルバムの最初のシングルを明日公開するの？気になって夜しか眠れない！ (You’re releasing the first single off the new album tomorrow? I’m so excited I can only sleep at night!)
気にピ (きにぴ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A person you are (romantically) interested in
Example: 気にピが好きピになった！ (The person I liked is now my partner!)
厳しい戦い (きびしいたたかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An exaggeration meant to jokingly express that something isn’t very hard by saying it’s super hard
Example: やっと好きなキャラを手に入れたぞ！厳しい戦いだったけど！(I finally got the character I like! It was such an exhausting battle.)
きぼんぬ
Type: Phrase, Verb as is or via +する
Meaning: To want something, to wish for something
Example: 彼女の隣の席をきぼんぬ (I hope I get the seat next to her).
きまZ (きまぜっと)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Awkward, uncomfortable or a z-shape pose you make while saying the word with your left arm angled up and your right arm angled down
Example: 好きじゃない人に告られてきまZ (Someone I don’t like confessed their love to me ewwww)
決めの問題 (きめのもんだい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A problem where all solutions have positives and negatives, so it really just has to be decided by the individual/person with the power and/or responsibility to do so based on their preferences
Example: やったら時間とお金がかかるけどやらないと後悔するかも。きめの問題だよ。(If you do it, it will cost time and money, but if you don’t you might regret it. It’s ultimately up to you really.)
切り抜き (きりぬき)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: A video clip
Example: 私のライブストリームを切り抜きしている垢を見つけたら２４してください (Please report any accounts you find making/posting video clips of my live streams)
金太郎飴シナリオ (きんたろうあめしなりお)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A game which advertises important choices but in the end the ultimate game outcome/ending is pretty much the same. By extension, anything that sounds like a repeat of what has come before.
Example: 一回目はちょー楽しかったが、二回目全然違うキャラをして、全然違うプレースタイルをしたのに終わり方は同じで、結局金太郎飴シナリオでめっちゃブルーになった。(The first time was fun, but the second time I tried a completely different character and play style and got the same ending so I was bummed to find out my choices didn’t actually matter.)
客降り (きゃくおり)
Type: Noun, Verb via +る or +する
Meaning: A performer comes down from the stage into the crowd
Example: 今日客降りしてくれるかな (I wonder if they’ll come into the audience today?)
きゃぱい
Type: Noun, い adjective
Meaning: To be at one’s limits emotionally, at the point just before overload. This can be in either a positive (happiness) or negative (stress) sense.
Example: 勉強し過ぎて頭の中がきゃぱい (I studied too much and my brain is about to blow up)
キャピる
Type: Verb
Meaning: Acting in a manner perceived as akin to a young girl, especially in being overly enthusiastic or carried away by fads. Can be used self-referentially in a positive sense
Example: 職場でキャピるな！ここはバーでも女子会でもない。(Stop messing around at work! This isn’t a bar or a girls’ night out.)
ぎゃきゅん
Type: Noun/Action
Meaning: The opposite of the きゅん heart gesture, often done to reject it
Example: きゅんからぎゃきゅん！(ノಠ ∩ಠ)ノ彡きゅん♡ (Bleh I don’t want your heart (ノಠ ∩ಠ)ノ彡きゅん♡)
ギャランドゥ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Happy trail, hair from belly to genitalia (men)
Example: ギャランドゥが見えるよ (We can see your happy trail)
Note: The name comes from a song (click the name to see the relevant slang review entry) so can also refer to that song
ギャルピ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A peace sing made with the palm facing out and the two fingers facing downwards
Example: はい写真撮りますね。皆でギャルピ！(Taking the photo, everyone do the “gal peace” sign!)
ギャルベ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A born, dyed-in-the-wool gyaru
Example: あなたはイエベ？ ブルベ？ それともギャルベ？(For make-up, are you a yellow base? A blue base? Or a gyaru-base?)
今日イチ (きょういち)
Type: Adverb, Noun via 今日イチで or 今日イチの
Meaning: The most [adjective] thing of the day, the most you [verbed] today
Example: サプライズパーティーありがとう！今日イチびっくりした！今日イチ楽しかった！(Thanks for the surprise party! It was the most surprisingly thing today! And the most fun thing today!)
キャラプレ
Type: Noun, Verb via +やる
Meaning: A “character present”, winning/unlocking a character in a gatcha-game via a gambling/randomized system
Example: キャラプレをやってAさんゲット！ (I got A in the game I’m playing!)
教育死刑 (きょういくしけい）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A phrase spammed in moments of extreme anger
Example: 浮気されたら教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑教育死刑 (If I get cheated on straight to jail death penalty right away reeducation camp straight to jail death penalty right away reeducation camp straight to jail death penalty right away reeducation camp)
供給 (きょうきゅう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Supply of information or products relating to a given media product
Example: 今日は供給多過ぎて多分来週までテンション全然下がらない (There are so many announcements today I probably will stay hyped until next week from this)
筐体 (きょうたい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An arcade game cabinet
Example: アパートは狭いからアップライト筐体よりテーブル筐体の方がいいと思うけど、やっぱり貯金して全問筐体にするかな (My apartment is small so the table-style cabinets are better than the big upright ones, but maybe I should just save and get one of the special ones made for a specific game)
キング化現象 (きんぐかげんしょう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When someone does things that would normally be a turn-off, and you find that it instead makes you laugh, when you find everything someone does amusing (in a positive way). Contrasts directly with 蛇化現象 and 蛙化現象.
Example: 彼氏がめっちゃ臭いおならをした時爆笑した。キング化現象かも (My boyfriend let out a horrid fart and I just laughed. Is this the king phenomenon?)
空気嫁 (くうきよめ)
Type 1: Command-form verb
Meaning 1: “Read the room!”
Example: おい、空気嫁！彼女はあなたに興味ないぞ (Hey, get your head out of your ass! She’s not into you)
Meaning 2: A phrase admonishing yourself for carelessness
Example: コーヒーをこぼしちゃった空気嫁 (I spilled coffee careless me)
Type 2: Noun
Meaning 1: A sex doll, dakimakura, or similar item
Example: 彼のソファーに空気嫁があってイタかった (He had a sex doll on his sofa it was super awkward)
Meaning 2: An empty seat where a partner could be, or you wish a partner was
Example: いやいや、二人分頼んで一人で食べたんじゃなくて、空気嫁との写真だ。(No no, I didn’t order two portions and eat them alone, my invisible wife is in this photo too.)
Meaning 3: A character, especially a heroine, who has no personality
Example: この主人公はちょっと空気嫁って感じ (This protagonist feels a bit like blank sheet of paper)
Type 3: Exclamation
Meaning: Used when winning a gatcha/lottery game
Example: ガチャなんて簡単だ！空気嫁 (Gatcha are a cinch! Check out my winnings)
空中戦 (くうちゅうせん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A dialogue or meeting that goes nowhere due to conversations/debates, especially one which has no written plan or notes (which causes the digressions and lack of focus)
Example: スライドもプランもなかったせいで、会議が空中戦に終わった (Because there were no slides or plans, the meeting ended up just a mess of pointless back-and-forth)
クール
Type: Noun
Meaning: A three month period of time through which a show goes through about 12 episodes
Example: このシーゾンは３クールに納められるって (They said this season will be split across three 3-month blocks of 12 episodes)
草こえて森こえてアマゾンこえてマダガスカル (くさこえてもり)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: ROFL
Example: 上司はまじで非常識でほぼ毎日恥ずかしいことやって草こえて森こえてアマゾンこえてマダガスカル! (My boss has no common sense so he does embarrassing things every day it’s hilarious).
グルディス
Type 1: Noun, Verb via + する
Meaning: A shortening of “group discussion”
Example: じゃ、ちょっとグルディスをしよう (Okay, let’s have a group discussion)
Type 2: Verb via +る
Meaning: To talk smack on a group (of musicians/idols)
Example: 私はよく他グルディスるので好きじゃなければミュートして (I talk shit about groups other than my favorite so if you don’t like it mute me)
クソゲー
Type: Noun
Meaning: A bad game
Example: 誰がこんなヌルゲーでクソゲーを作ったの？ (Who made this easy, awful game?)
くらげメイク
Type: Noun
Meaning: A make-up style using a bluish one-tone base, a blue eyeshadow, some kind of glittery makeup, light pink under the eyes, a “bundling (束感のある)” of the eyelashes, and effects to make the lips look voluminous, all which appears a bit jellyfish-y.
See also: 白湯メイク, 甜妹メイク
グルチャ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A group chat
Example: このギルドはグルチャをしていないんです (This guild doesn’t use a group chat)
けちょんけちょん
Type: Adverb (via +に)
Meaning 1: Completely (used with a negative outcome)
Example: 彼は田中君にけちょんけちょんにやっつけられた。(He had the shit beat out of him by Tanaka.)
Meaning 2: Destroyed, in a horrible state
Example: 外で仕事していた間、猫がソファーをけちょんけちょんにした。(While I was working my cat destroyed my sofa.)
ケモい
Type: い adjective
Meaning 1: Animal like, esp. in a way appealing to the furry fandom
Example: この絵はちょっとケモいよね (This picture looks a bit like it was made for furries/looks a bit animally, yeah?)
Meaning 2: Of or relating to actual animals
Example: 何このケモい匂い? (What smells like livestock?)
ケモナー
Type: Noun
Meaning: A furry, someone interested in anthropomorphic animal characters
Example: 明らかにケモナーが描いた漫画 (This manga was absolutely written by a furry)
ケモ耳 (けもみみ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Animal ears on a human(oid) character
Example: ケモ耳娘がでるからケモいと限らない (It’s not furry-ish just because a female character with cat ears shows up)
下克上 (げこくじょう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A story type in BL where someone “lower” in status, such as a worker or kōhai, ends up taking the seme/dominant role in a relationship with someone “higher” in status, such as a boss or senpai.
Example: これは下克上ラブの話で、ホストがオーナーを唆す (This is an “overthrow” type story where a host seduces the club’s owner)
現状から以上です (げんじょうからいじょうです）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A phrase used to wrap up a post/statement. Generally used when discussing an event, but can be applied just to generic information.
Example: 晩ご飯はおいしかった。現状から以上です (Dinner was great. And that’s all from me, reporting live.)
限凸 (げんとつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To have a character level up through getting extra copies of it in a game that has that mechanic
Example: 恥ずかしいほど課金したけど、やっとゆうちゃん限凸MAX (I’m embarrassed at how much I spent, but Yu is finally at max level)
Note: 限凸餅 is used to mean “max level”
ゲンドウポーズ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Putting your hands across each other like a bridge/table, and then holding them in front of your nose while you look stern, imitating a pose associated with Gendou from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Also used in parenthesis after a statement to show that you are serious.
Example: あたしの推し、めっちゃ可愛いぞ (ゲンドウポーズ）(My bias is super cute (serious face))
現パロ (げんぱろ)
Type: Noun, Adjective via +い, Verb via +る
Meaning: A story where someone from the past or from fiction is transported into the present day, or a drawing of one of these people or characters in a modern outfit. As a verb, to tell this kind of story or draw this kind of picture.
Example: 徳川の現パロ書いてみた (I drew an up-to-date Emperor Tokugawa)
公金チューチュー (こうきんちゅうちゅう）
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To misuse public funds for one’s own benefit
Example: 公園を作るのにこんなお金？まさに公金チューチューじゃないか？ (This much money to build a park? Is embezzling going on?
交通整理 (こうつうせいり)
Type: Noun, Verb via + する
Meaning: Taking a complicated situation and doing everything necessary to make sure it moves forward smoothly to its conclusion, such as handing out responsibilities and following up with related parties
Example: 交通整理をする役の人がいなかったから失敗したよ。(It failed because you didn’t have anyone overseeing the project.
コーデ紹介 (こーでしょうかい)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Introducing/showing off (and often then explaining) your outfit
Example: コーデ紹介をしてください (please tell us about what you’re wearing)
コーレス
Type: Noun
Meaning: Call and response, especially at a live show, either lead by the performer or based on pre-memorized lines the audience shouts in response to things they know/expect the performer will say
Example: コーレスの担当をするね！全部覚えたもん (I’ll lead our call-response yeah? I’ve memorized them all)
こおわー
Type: Exclamation
Meaning: The end of school day, school is over!
Example: よっしゃ、こおわー！お寿司でも食べに行こう！(And we’re done with school for the day! Let’s go eat sushi!)
Note: Also (more) commonly written as がこおわー.
ここに教会を建てよう (ここにきょうかいをたてよう）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I want the characters in this story to hook up ASAP
Example: ひさちゃんもあみちゃんも可愛すぎ！ここに教会を建てよう！(Hisa and Mami are too cute together just get married already!)
コソ練 (こそれん)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To practice by oneself
Example: 大会の前に二時間コソ練した (I practiced alone for 2 hours before our competition)
個チャ (こちゃ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An online chat between two people, or a direct message
Example: 個チャで送ってね (Send it via our normal chat)
固定 (こてい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A BL coupling that someone won’t allow to be modified
Example: あたしは固定派だと思う。少なくとも左右固定派。(I don’t allow people to mess with BL couplings, at most they can switch the top/bottom status of partners but no partner swapping.)
コテハン
Type: Noun
Meaning: A fixed handle name used on one or more websites
Example: 全てのSNSで同じコテハンを使うから是非インスタやツィーターでもフォローしてね！(I use the same handle everywhere so follow me on Twitter and Instagram too!)
小並感 (こなみかん)
Type: Exclamation, な adjective/adjectival noun
Meaning: Usually used after a statement of evaluation or expression of feelings to jokingly self-depreciate said statement/evaluation as lacking in originality or detail. Can also modify nouns via な or の.
Example: 昨日は楽しかった（小並感）(Yesterday was fun (sorry for my lack of vocabulary))
Note: Also written as 粉みかん, 小波感, and コナミ感 of KONAMI感, the latter two being popular when expressing simplistic feelings about games
鼓膜ないなった (こまくないなった）
Type: Phrase, Exclamation
Meaning: Something is/was quite loud
Example: ガーンって音鳴って鼓膜ないなった (There was a big bang, it was so loud it hurt my ears)
Note: 心臓ないなった is used to mean you had too much fun or got too excited, and 頭ないなった is used to mean your mind was blown
こみこみで
Type 1: Response
Meaning: A stand-in phrase for when you don’t want to explain or talk about something
Example: 「どうして？」「あ、まぁ、こみこみで」(“Why?” “Ah, well, this and that.”)
Type 2: Adverb
Meaning: All together, with everything/one included
Example: 全部こみこみで５０００円だった (It was 5000 yen all things included)
これには「ＮＡＭＥ」もにっこり
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I enjoy this thing.
Example: ドッグショーでピピちゃんがかった！これにはパパもにっこり [Pipi won the dog show! I can’t help but smile]
Note: 「Name」 can be filled in with your own name, a first-person pronoun, the name of someone in the image, or the name of someone related to the image known for not being joyful
こy (こわい)
Type: Noun, な-Adjective
Meaning: Scary
Example: 全然こyではないよ。(It’s not scary at all).
婚約破棄系 (こんやくはかいけい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A story where someone’s wedding getting called off is a main plot point
Example: 婚約破棄系にはまっちゃった (I’ve become obsessed with stories about failed engagements)
5億年ぶりに外出した (ごおくねんぶりにがいしゅつした)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I went outside for the first time in a long time. The number before 億 can be changed to another number, 数, or うん, and the activity can be changed to indicate a different thing you’ve done for the first time in a while.
Example: うん億年ぶりにスタバに行ってきた！ (Went to Starbucks for the first time in forever).
極道入稿 (ごくどうにゅうこう)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: The situation/state of submitting some kind of material-to-be-published after the deadline
Example: エルデンリングを買って極道入稿の地獄になった。(I bought Elden Ring and ended up in the hell of being past my deadlines.)
ご査収ください (ごさしゅうください）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Check this out
Example: この動画をご査収ください (Check out this video)
さ行
最前管理 (さいぜんかんり)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: Someone who goes to the front of a show and holds the spot, or, as a verb, doing this action
Example: 後二時間あるのに最前管理もいるなんて、いつ来ただろう？(We’ve got two hours but there’s already a bunch of people at the front. When the hell did they get here?)
サ終 (さしゅう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The service for a game, website, etc., is over
Example: そのゲームにお金をかけすぎるな。サ終したらきっと後悔するぞ。(Don’t spend too much on that game. If it stops being supported you’ll regret it.)
さすい
Type: い adjective
Meaning: As expected it is [adjective]. The [adjective] can be any adjective ending in い, including [verb stem]+やすい・にくい combinations, which does create potential meaning difficulties. A blunt solution that is used is to write the adjective in ( ), e.g., さす(がにヤバ)い.
Example: さすいってさす(がに分かりにく)い言葉です。(Sasui is, as expected, a hard word to understand.)
誘い受け (さそいうけ)
Type: Noun, Verb via
Meaning: A submissive partner, usually in BL fiction, who initiates sexual activity
Example: 経験のない受けが少しずつ誘い受けになるっていう話が好き (I like stories where an inexperienced bottom gradually initiates the encounters)
差分 (さぶん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: One or more pictures with very small differences between them, especially expressions, hair styles, etc., or other elements of a 立ち絵
Example: 昨日作った立ち絵の差分を三枚作った。(I made three variations of the character picture I created yesterday.)
サブサク
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning 1: A subscription
Example 1: アマゾンのサブサクをキャンセルするかな (I wonder if I should cancel my Amazon subscription)
Meaning 2: A subscriber, usually as サブサク様
Example 2: これはサブサク様だけの配信 (This live is only for subscribers)
Meaning 3: Subscription services, especially streaming, or release on subscription services
Example 3: まもなくサブサク解禁 (It will soon be available on major streaming platforms)
鮫殴りセンター (さめなぐりせんたー)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The Japanese name for the “Shark Punching Center“, a meme community
Example: あ、鮫殴りセンターの皆さん、鮫だ！殴れ！(SPC members, it’s a shark! Punch it!)
サムネ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Thumbnail (as in of an image or video, not on your finger)
Example: 最近のユーチューバーのサムネが全部同じスタイルで気に入らない。(I’m not really a fan of the thumbnails that YouTubers have been using these days.)
座席ガチャ (ざせきがちゃ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The “luck” of your seat at a concert or show, such as how good the view is, if something good happens to you because of where you are seated, if you get put next to someone smelly, etc.
Example: 昨日座席ガチャめっちゃよかったよ。前に背が高い人が一人もいなくて、ギターリストが投げたピックも取れた！(I lucked out on seats yesterday. There were no tall people in front of me, and I was even able to catch the guitarist’s pick!)
ざっくばらん
Type: な adjective
Meaning: Frank, straightforward
Example: 昨日、彼氏とざっくばらんな話をした。(I had a frank chat with my boyfriend yesterday.)
砂糖対応 (さとうたいおう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A welcome reception, especially from an idol to fans
Example: 推しからの超激甘砂糖対応をいただいました! (I had an incredibly warm interaction with my bias)
Note: A 神対応 is one step above a 砂糖対応.
ざまあ系 (ざまあけい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Stories where someone’s comeuppance is a major theme
Example: この話は悪役令嬢のざまあ系 (This is about an evil princess who gets what’s coming to her)
残当 (ざんとう)
Type: Noun, な adjective
Meaning: Unfortunate but expected
Example: 勉強しなかったから残当な成績だ。(You didn’t study so what other marks would you expect.)
しごでき
Type: Noun, な adjective
Meaning: Good at a job or, just generally, a quality human being
Example: しごできの完璧推しじゃん！ (My favorite idol is just perfect!)
死体蹴り (したいけり)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning 1: To BM in a video game
Example: 大会で死体蹴りするのが禁止だ (BM is forbidden at the tourney)
Meaning 2: Something which is difficult, has gone too far, or involves a series of tragedies
Example: テストを失敗した後で彼女に降られて、そして帰ったら冷蔵庫か壊れたことに気が付いて、死体蹴りされて号泣した (Failed the test, girlfriend left me, got home and noticed the fridge is broken, just crying over how bad I’ve got it now)
Meaning 3: When too much information or goods regarding a franchise you like are released in a short time frame and you overwhelmed, usually in a positive sense (e.g., with excitement)
Example: 供給の後でさらに供給が！！！死体蹴りだぁ! (News after news! It’s so muuuuuuch!)
[VERB]したいだけの人生だった (したいたけのじんせいだった）
Type: Phrase (replace [VERB]し with a verb in the “want” form)
Meaning: An expression used to indicate that [verb] is something you really want, or have long wanted and just did
Example: 北海道でスキーしたいだけの人生だった (All I’ve ever wanted is to ski in Hokkaido
[VERB]していくスタイル
Type: Phrase (replace [VERB]して with a verb in its “te” form)
Meaning: Doing [VERB] is the way I like to/usually do things
Example: 寝坊していくスタイルだ (Oversleeping is kinda my thing)
自引く (じびき）
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: The act of buying some kind of randomized item, such as a pack of cards or a gatcha-type product, and getting the exact thing you wanted
Example: 一番高いカードを自引きした！ (I pulled the most expensive card [on the first try]!)
死ぬ前に見る夢？ (しぬまえにみるゆめ？)
Type: Response
Meaning: Is this a dream before death?, used to respond to something amazing or desirable
Example: 推しが私の誕生日に新アルバムを発売するなんて？そしてここでライブもするって？これ、死ぬ前に見る夢？(My bias is releasing a new album on my birthday? And they are going to do a live show here? Am I dead?)
支部 (しぶ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The art hosting website Pixiv
Example: これを支部にもアップするね。(I’ll upload this to Pixiv as well.)
死にゲー (しにげー)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A difficult game where you die a lot
Example: 死にゲーだと言われているけど全然むずかしくないじゃん？ (They say it’s a super hard roguelike style game but it’s not difficult at all?)
しまパト
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: The act of going to the store Shimamura to buy things/look for deals
Example: あした二人でしまパトしようよ。(Let’s go check out the products at Shimamura together tomorrow!)
シミラールック
Type: Noun
Meaning: Two or more outfits which fit within a similar style while not being totally identical
Example: 二人ともジーンズに黒いシャッツ！シミラールックじゃん！ (We both have jeans and black shirt, quite similar outfits!)
写真へたくそ選手権 (しゃしんへたくそせんしゅけん)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A bad photo which is somehow still intriguing
Example: これはとてもぶれている写真だけど、逆に写真へたくそ選手権？ (It’s a blurry photo, but maybe it’s amazing?)
シャバい
Type: い-adjective
Meaning: Bad, low-quality, lame, unimpressive, shitty, uninspiring
Example: なんてシャバい男だ! (What a lame dude!)
社不 (しゃふ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A person who is socially awkward or doesn’t fit in, usually used as a form of self-mockery or critique rather than a term of abuse.
Example: 社不のコミュニティーにもうまく溶け込めない僕は本物の社不だ。 (I can’t even fit in with the outcasts well, which is proof I’m the real outcast.)
シャフ度 (しゃふど)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Tilting the head back and looking over the shoulder in an exaggerated manner associated especially with the anime studio Shaft
Example: キャラがこの台詞をシャフ度で言うとよりかっこいいと思う。(I think it would be cooler if the character said this while making the Shaft pose.)
シャボン玉映え (しゃぼんだめばえ）
Type: Noun
Meaning: A photograph (intended to go viral) that contains bubbles in it, part of an Instagram fad
Example: シャボン玉映えってまだ人気？(Are bubble photos still popular?)
集団幻覚 (しゅうだんげんかく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A non-coordinated fan practice of pretending an episode, scene, or line of a media product exists, and making fan art/discussions about it, as in the “13th episode” of a 12 episode series, especially for the implicit purpose of continuing community interaction during down time
Example: 新エピソードが出たと聞いてちょっとワクワクし始めたが、実は終段幻覚だった (I heard a new episode came out so I got a bit excited, but it was just something made up by fans)
正直ベース (しょうじきベース)
Type: Noun, Adverb via で or に
Meaning: Honest
Example: 正直ベースで申し上げると、かわいいです。(Speaking truthfully, it is very cute.)
知らんけど (しらんけど)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Used to hedge confidence in or commitment to your statement
Example: マックの方がモスより美味しいと思う。知らんけど。(I think Mac is more delicious than Mos. I mean, not that I know anything but.)
白って２００色あんねん（しろってにひゃくいろあんねん）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: There is wonder and uniqueness even in the most mundane items, used especially when noting distinctness amongst shades of white
Example: 彼らの白い衣装を見るとやっぱり白って２００色あんねん (When I see their white outfits, it really drives home that even white can be colorful)
シワシワネーム
Type: Noun
Meaning: A name that feels old fashioned
Example: 女性のシワシワネームの典型的な例は子で終わる名前 (Stereotyped examples of wrinkly names for women are names that end in the kanji 子)
シンデレラフィット
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: When something fits perfectly
Example: この服を大好きなぬいに着せてみたら、なんとシンデレラフィットだったよ！(When I tried putting this outfit on my beloved plushie, it somehow fit like a glove!)
ジオブロ
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: Geoblock, region block
Example: 見るためにお金を喜んで払うのでジオブロしないでほしい。(I’m happy to pay to watch this so I really hope they don’t region block it.)
自サバ女 (じさばじょ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A woman who is “self proclaimed” at being no-nonsense, especially one who is often seen as simply being aloof or cruel
Example: 自サバ女からのクソアドバイスなんていらない (I don’t need any shitty advice from a stuck-up jerk like her)
ジャスト回避 (じゃすとかいひ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A game which is incredibly difficult due to the need for split-second or frame-perfect actions
Example: ジャスト回避が好きだけど下手だ。(I like split-second reaction games but I’m bad at them)
じゃないほう
Type: Noun
Meaning: The generally less preferred one in a pair, or out of a group
Example: 実は、じゃないほうが私の好み (I actually like the unpopular one)
情弱 (じょうじゃく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Bad at using the internet to find information, easily deceived by false information online, or just unaware of recent information
Example: Twitterでデマに釣られる情弱多過ぎ。(There are far too many people on Twitter who fall for blatant misinformation.)
状態いいね (じょうたいいいね)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A trend on TikTok, used to mean that someone is attractive
Example: 彼は最近状態いいね。(He’s looking good recently.)
仁義を切る (じんぎをきる)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: To do the proper greetings, groundwork, and/or conveying of information so that a deal or plan goes smoothly
Example: まだ実際に会ったことがないので、近いうちに仁義を切りにいかないと (I haven’t met them in real life yet, so I need to go and do proper introductions soon)
人生何周目 (じんせいなんしゅうめ）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Used to note that someone acts very mature for their age, as if they were reincarnated with all memories
Example: 人生何周目ぐらいしっかりしている子 (A child who is so put together you wonder if they’ve been on earth for decades)
Note: 何 can be replaced by a number, with bigger numbers indicating more maturity
人柱 (じんちゅう）
Type: Noun
Meaning: Someone who goes out and tries new things/technology and reports back to everyone (online) so people know if the thing is worth it
Example: 皆さん！私は500円を出して、人柱になった。この新しいビールはおいしくないのでご注意。(Everyone! I paid 500 yen and sacrificed myself for you all to let you know that this new beer is not good so be careful.)
Note: Do not mix up with the non-slang 人柱 read as ひとばしら
スイーツ（笑）
Type 1: Reaction
Meaning: Used to mock people for following trends, especially after the fad has died down
Example: 見て、群れでタピってる学生達スイーツ（笑）(Look a bunch of students getting bubble tea 2015 called lol)
Type 2: な adjective via +的な
Meaning: Used to mean “mocking” or “contemptuous”, in reference to the use above
Example: スイーツ（笑）的な反応なんて心の狭さを反映する (Mocking people for enjoying something reflects a smallness of heart)
杉 (すぎ)
Type: Suffix
Meaning: Too much, same as 過ぎる
Example: この映画怖杉、もうみたくない。(This movie is too scary I don’t want to watch it anymore.)
素クール (すくーる)
Type: Noun, な adjective
Meaning: Cool, calm, and collected, especially regarding romance; the opposite of tsundere
Example: 素クールなキャラの方が好きだ。(I prefer characters that handle romantic things with a level head.)
スクショ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Screenshot
Example: スクショ取って、私に送ってね。(Take a screenshot to me and send it please.)
スクロールバー仕事しろ (スクロールバーしごとしろ）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A phrase screamed in mock-frustration when you want to keep reading a story online but the installment has finished. Occasionally used when your scrollbar literally isn’t moving due to a glitch.
Example: えぇ、もう終わった？まじで無理無理。スクロールバー仕事しろ！ (What’s, I’m at the end? No way, can’t be. Scrollbar, do your damn job!)
すこ
Type 1: Sentence final particle
Meaning: I like whatever I’ve typed before すこ
Example: このスタンプすこ (I like these digital stamps)
Type 2: Verb via すこる
Meaning: To like
Example 2: めちゃくちゃすこった (I grew to love it)
捨てハン (すてはん）
Type: Noun
Meaning: A online name or handle designed to be abandoned
Example: アラシは大体捨てハンを使う。(Trolls prefer throw-away names.)
ステマ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Stealth marketing, advertising done under the guise of being an authentic or “natural” recommendation
Example: このビデオって実はステマでしょう？(This video… it’s actually an ad right?)
ステルス家電 (すてるすかでん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A home appliance designed as décor, or placed inside other furniture to hide it
Example: ビールを冷やすために小さいステルス家電の冷蔵庫を買った。普通のローテーブルに見えるよね！ (I bought a small “stealth fridge” to keep my beer cold. Looks just like a normal low table right?)
スナ系女子 (すなけいじょし)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Women who wear the brand SNIDEL
Example: 量産型だったがスナ系女子になった (I wore the “mass produced” fashion style for a bit but now I like SNIDEL)
Note: Can also be written as 砂系女子
砂を吐く(すなをはく)
Type: Verb phrase
Meaning: Feeling ill due to how sweet/saccharine a scene from a movie, book, etc., is
Example: この映画のセリフは砂を吐くほど甘い。(This movie’s dialogue is so sweet it makes me ill.)
宇宙猫 (スペースキャット)
Type: Meme, response
Meaning: A meme of a cat staring into space, also used in parenthesis or as a verb to show surprise/confusion
Example: ペンをバッグに入れたが見つからない（宇宙猫) (I put my pen in my bag but I can’t find it (spacecat))
Note: Sometimes read as うちゅうねこ or うちゅうねっこ.
スルメ曲 (するめきょく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A song that you don’t like much at first but grows on you the more you listen to it
Example: このスルメ曲を最初に凡作だと思ったけど、今その意見を思い出すと恥ずかしくなるほど好きだ。(I first thought this “dried-squid song” was a bit bland, but now I like it so much that even remembering that opinion makes me feel embarrassed)
Note: The opposite, a song you like at first but start to hate after repeated listens, is a ガム曲
ずっしょ
Type: Noun, exclamation
Meaning: Together forever
Example: あなたが大好き！ずっしょ！(I love you! We’ll be together forever!)
ずっと俺のターン (ずっとおれのたーん)
Type: Phrase, Noun via +状態
Meaning: In constant control of the situation, completely dominating, unstoppable
Example: あと六時間だ！コーヒーを二杯飲んだからずっと俺のターン (Six more hours. I’ve downed two cups of coffee, so I’ve got this no question)
セクマイ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Sexual minorities, usually used in neutral/positive manner
Example: 最近セクマイの人権に関する運動が増えている。(Recently, movements for the rights of sexual minorities are increasing.)
センイル広告 (せんいるこうこく）
Type: Noun
Meaning: A paid billboard, video screen, or similar advertising space used to announce the birthday of your bias
Example: 友達と韓国でセンイル広告を出した。(My friends and I got a poster advertisement announcement out for our bias’s birthday in Korea)
ゼニガメ顔 (ぜにがめがお)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A cute face that’s evocative of Squirtle from Pokemon
Example: 推しのゼニガメ顔好き (I like my bias’s turtle-esque feature)
全員野球 (ぜんいんやきゅう)
Type: Noun, Adverb via で
Meaning: An action done as a group/team
Example: 全員野球でやりましょう (Let’s all do it together)
全落ち (ぜんおち)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To lose entirely, especially in a lottery for tickets to a show
Example: 抽選全落ちがつらすぎて、一人で飲んでる (I completely failed to get a ticket, and can’t deal with it so I’m drinking alone)
全財産つぎ込ませてほしいし保証人にもなれる
(ぜんざいつぎこませてほしいしほしょうにんにもなれる）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I want this so bad I would give up everything I own for it
Example: 可愛すぎて、全財産つぎ込ませてほしいし保証人にもなれる (They are so cute I’d give everything I own to be with them)
全人類見て (ぜんじんるいみて)
Type: Exclamation
Meaning: Everyone check this out!
Example: このバンドの新しいMVが良すぎるので全人類見て！(This band’s new music video is amazing everyone should watch it!)
全ステ (ぜんすて)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To go to all shows in a concert series, such as all shows in a multiple-show series held in one spot, or following a band around and going to all their shows across a country
Example: 大好きなバンドの全ステをしたいけど、今ちょっと金コマ。(I want to go to every show on my favorite band’s tour but I’m a bit short.)
僧侶枠 (そうりょわく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Anime that are shown late at night, a bit risqué (without being pornographic), and/or made by WWWave.
Example: 僧侶枠だからちょっと卑猥なところがある (It’s WWWave style so there’s a bit of obscene stuff)
粗品の呪い (そしなののろい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To lose at gambling, especially horse racing
Example: 粗品の呪いも関係ないほど強い (Such a sure thing even Soshina’s Curse won’t affect it)
た行
ターンエンド
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To be done, to finish your actions in a way that implies a sense of finality, to do all you are able to do within your limits, or to accomplish something incredible and brag about it in a slightly challenging way
Example: 彼氏に「別れよう」とメッセージしてからブロックしてターンエンド。(I messaged my BF that we were done, blocked him, and then ended my turn.)
タイパ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Time performance, outcome in relation to time spent
Example: コスパがいいけどタイパが悪い (It’s good for the cost, but not for the time spent)
助けて (たすけて)
Type: Exclamation
Meaning: A phrase associated with otaku, used to exclaim joy when receiving information about something you are obsessed with
Example: えぇえ！？今日新しいアニメもフィギュアも映画もライブショーも公開されて供給多過ぎて助けて！！！！ (Whaaaaa, today a new anime and figurines and movie and liveshow were announced there’s too much great stuff save meeeeeeee)
多ステ (たすて)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Going to most of the shows in a bands tour, or most of the showings of something held over multiple days in a single spot
Example: 全ステできなかったが、多ステできたよ。(I couldn’t go to every show, but I went to a bunch.)
他グル担 (たぐるたん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Fan(s) of a different group than you
Example: 最近他グル担にフォローされて嬉しいけど、リプで推しの悪口などを絶対やるな！(I’m happy fans of other groups are following me recently, but I don’t accept any insults towards my bias in the replies!)
Note: 他グル on its own just means “another group”, while 担 means “fan of”, used in phrases like [name]担, 誰担 (who do you like), グループ担 and オール担 (both meaning fan of a whole group), オンリー担 (fan of one group member only)
畳配信 (たたみはいしん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When a streamer forgets to turn off the background they use to hide their screen from viewers, such as while they join a game lobby or enter passwords, and therefore displays a bland “cover” screen to their viewers rather than the game they are streaming
Example: 今日は初めての畳配信だった！乗り越えたけど十分ぐらい続いた。(Today was my first time forgetting to switch back to my stream after hiding the monitor… I got through it but it went on for like 10 minutes.)
立ち絵 (たちえ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A still image of a character from a game with minimal background, and therefore easy to manipulate or post over background images
Example: この立ち絵は全部フリ素なのでどうぞお使いください。(These character images are all free so feel free to use them.)
Note: The opposite of a 立ち絵 is an 一枚絵, or an image that includes a character performing some action against a background.
担降り (たんおり)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する or +る
Meaning: The act of not being a fan of someone anymore, especially when that involves stepping down from some official responsibility like managing a fan site. Or, as a verb, doing this act.
Example: ずっと担降り考えていたけど、昨日の事件でついに担降りた。(I thought about giving up on my oshi for a while, but after yesterday’s scandal I’ve finally done it.)
大団円 (だいだんえん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A good ending, especially the good ending option in a video game
Example: 幸いに、大団円を迎えることができた！(Luckily, everything came out excellently!)
Note: Sometimes jokingly written as 大円団
だ㌔ (だきろ)
Type: Sentence ending form
Meaning: A variant of だけど, “but”
Example: めっちゃ痛いんだ㌔！？ (But it hurts a lot!?)
Note: Often associated with kurimango, a particular speech/writing style pioneered by the “plastic surgery talent” アレン
だってマスク
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: A mask worn for no real reason
Example: 「加奈ちゃんは風邪ひいたの？」「いや、ただだってマスクしている」(“Kana, did you catch a cold?” “No I’m just wearing a mask because I feel like it.”)
Note: だってイヤホン, だってメガネ, and similar terms also exist.
ダブスタクソ親父 (だぶすたんくそおやじ)
Type: Noun, な Adjective via 的な
Meaning 1: A pet name for Delling, from MSG: The Witch From Mercury, or (as an adjective) something done in a manner which recalls Delling.
Example 1: ダブスタクソ親父の行動が正当だと思う？(Do you think Delling’s actions are justified?)
Meaning 2: A hypocritical old man
Example 2: 叱るのが好きなのに𠮟られると怒るってダブスタクソ親父的すぎる (A love of critiquing but anger when being critiqued is just too hypocritical)
ダマでやる
Type: Verb phrase
Meaning: To move towards victory without announcing it
Example: 今回の計画が漏れたら困るからダマでやってよ。(If the plan leaks we’ll have problems so move forward with discretion)
ダメ絶対音感 (だめぜったいおんかん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Ones ability to name voice actors, including obscure ones, just by hearing a character speak, more generally a highly useless ability to identify very specific sounds
Example: 誰これ… 絶対音感が試されている (Who is this… my voice actor radar is being tested).
誰得する (だれとくする）
Type 1: Question
Meaning: Used to complain about something by asking “who benefits from this?”, often used like a rhetorical question
Example: このサイトで人の投稿を読むためにアカウントを作らなければならないなんて誰得する？(You need an account to read people’s posts on this site? Who wants that?)
Type 2: Prefix, な adjective
Meaning: Humble way of describing something you did or made
Example: これは誰得トリビアだったかもけど読んでくれてありがとう (This might just be trivia only I care about but thanks for reading it)
Note: 俺得 (おれとく) is a related response either used defiantly in response to 誰得 complaints, or in phrases like 誰得俺得な to indicate that you are aware that this is something only you might enjoy but…
だるぅ
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Tired, exhausted, or fed up with some kind of action/behavior
Example: ねぇ、やめて、だるぅ！ (Cut it out, I’m sick of it)
治安が悪い (ちあんがわるい)
Type: Phrase
Meaning 1: Something’s quality or condition is bad
Example 1: 冬になると肌の治安が悪い (When winter rolls around, my skin gets bad)
Meaning 2: Cool in an edgy way, especially of an idol
Example 2: 推しの治安の悪さが最高 (My idol’s edge is off teh charts)
チェリーピース
Type: Noun
Meaning: A pose made by putting an inverted peace sign on your head and tilting it a bit, said to look like a cherry blossom
Example: チェリーピースしようよ！ (Let’s do the cherry peace pose!)
力こそパワー (ちからこそぱわー)
Type: Phrase, な adjective
Meaning: Good, an expression of positive evaluation
Example: 力こそパワーなカレーライスを注文した。(I ordered some excellent curry.)
チラ裏 (ちらうら)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A tweet, message, or other online post which is boring in its commonplace nature and only of interest to the writer/sender
Example: 母からのLINEはチラ裏過ぎて迷惑だ。(The LINE messages my mom sends me are annoying nonsense.)
Meaning 2: A humble way of referring to a sketch or in-progress drawing
Example: 最近のチラ裏を投稿した。(I posted some recent sketches.)
Meaning: A humble way of referring to your own posting
Example: チラ裏ですが、昨日これを作りました！(This is just a silly thing, but I made it yesterday!)
チルい
Type: い Adjective
Meaning: Chill, relaxed, calming
Example: あいつはチルくなさそうな人だな。(He doesn’t seem very chill.)
チルする・チルる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To chill, to relax
Example: ちょっとチルりながらコーヒーでも飲もう？(Let’s chill and have some coffee?)
チル消費
Type: Noun
Meaning: Spending money for the purposes of relaxing
Example: ストレスがたまる時にチル消費でもするのがよい。(When you get stressed out it’s worth it to spend money on relaxing.)
チャHする
Type: Verb
Meaning: Sexting
Example: 誰かチャしたい人いる？ (Anyone want to sext?)
ちゅきちゅき
Type: Phrase, Noun
Meaning: A statement used to indicate that you like something, a cute replacement of すき now heavily associated with Naniwa Danshi fandom although not originating in the fandom
Example: 甘い物大ちゅきちゅき！ (I luuuuuuuuuv sweets!)
ちゅきぴ
Type: Noun
Meaning: The person you like/have a crush on
Example: 明日はちゅきぴとのデート！(Tomorrow is a date with my crush!)
超今風 (ちょういまふう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Something that was cool and then became lame but enough time has passed that it’s now cool again to a new group of people
Example: 「このゲームのメニューは古臭い」「いや、かっこいいよ。昔っぽいからこそ超今風」(“This game’s menu looks old.” “No, it’s cool. It’s retro now precisely because it looks old.”)
ちょえ
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Hold up, wait a sec
Example: え、ちょえ？？そんなのあるの？ (Wait, hold up, that can happen?)
ちょんバレ
Type: Exclamation, Noun, Verb via [X]がちょんバレする
Meaning: A response to someone letting information slip, an act of letting information slip, or a verb for “[X] slips”. The information is usually personal (e.g., that you have a partner you haven’t mentioned).
Example: 推しの名前がちょんバレした (My bias’s name was revealed).
チン凸・マン凸・パイ凸 (ちんとつ・まんとつ・ぱいとつ)
Type: Noun, Verb via ＋する
Meaning: To DM someone a photo of your penis/vagina/breasts.
Example: チン凸してもよい方、ぜひDMを（Please DM me if I can send you a picture of my dick)
つ
Type: Kaomoji-esque
Meaning: I’m going to give you something, with the something written after the つ
Example: 今日もお疲れ様でした！つ茶 (Thanks for your hard work, here’s some tea!)
Note: Often おつ, in a way that appears to include the おつかれ meaning
ついえら
Type: Response
Meaning: Literally means “you did such a great thing by tweeting”, but predominantly used as a set response to notices streamers post on Twitter saying when their next stream will start, that they’ve released a video, etc.
Example: 「次の生配信は8月26日の朝五時から！遊びに来てね！」「ついえら」「ついえら」「ついえら」(“The next stream will be Oct. 26th from 5 AM, come join!” “Nice tweet” “Nice tweet” “Nice tweet”)
ツーカー
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To be totally on the same page, to get each other without the need for words
Example: 今、ツーカーの仲間がいなくてかなり悲しい (I have no friends who just “get” me right now and I’m lonely)
伝われ
Type: Sentence-Final Exclamation
Meaning: I don’t think I’ve done a great job explaining myself, but I’m hoping that my intent is conveyed nonetheless
Example: 写真があまりよくないけど、この寿司の美味しさ伝われ (The picture’s not great, but I hope the deliciousness of the sushi is clear)
詰む・詰んだ (つむ・つんだ)
Type: Verb
Meaning: I will lose/fail or I lost/failed
Example: デザートを作ろうとしたけど、チョコをかけるところで詰んだ。(I tried to make some desert, but I forgot to put chocolate on it and failed.)
強火 (つよび)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Used in the form [name of person/thing]強火担 (or ペン) or [name of person/thing]強火宣言 to indicate/announce that you are passionate fan of someone or something, usually an idol
Example: 推しが好きすぎて、一生強火宣言！(I love my bias so much, I declare my burning love for them forever!)
ツンウル
Type: Noun
Meaning: A personality type where someone is cold but will break down sobbing if not given attention
Example: こういうツンウルキャラが好きじゃない。(I don’t like these cold and needy characters.)
ツンギレ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A personality type where someone is cold and quick to anger
Example: 猫はツンギレの権化と言われる。(Cats are considered the personification of the tsungire type.)
低浮上 (ていふじょう)
Type: Noun, Verb via になる, を極める, and others
Meaning: To use an website/account sparingly
Example: これからテストがいっぱいあるので学期末まで低浮上を極める。(I’ve got a bunch of tests coming so I won’t be here much until the end of semester.)
てぇてぇ
Type: Noun
Meaning: I really like this person/VTuber/streamer/idol/character
Example: カナちゃんマジでてぇてぇ (I am so obsessed with Kana)
Note: Has been adopted as 贴贴 in Chinese slang
テクい
Type: い adjective, rarely verbed via テクる
Meaning: Technically skilled, especially musicianship
Example: このギターソロはとてもテクくて何回聞いても関心する。(This guitar solo is super technical, no matter how many times I listen to it I’m impressed.)
~てり・~てりゅ
Type: Conjugation
Meaning: A cute version of the ~ている conjugation
Example: 「何してり？」「ビールを飲んでり」「いいね、私も飲んでりゅ」(“What cha’ doin’?” “Drinkin’ beer.” “Nice, I’m drinkin’ too”)
天最高 (てんさいこう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Great, wonderful, amazing, superb
Example: パーティーは天最高だった! (The party was amazing!)
転生モノ (てんせいもの)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An umbrella term for isekai and similar stories
Example: 転生モノにしては好き (I like it, even though I’m not usually a fan of isekai-style stuff)
出会い厨 (であいちゅう)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: Someone who goes to a group meetup for the sole purpose of hooking up with someone there, or, by extension, anyone who seeks relationships in places not built for that purpose
Example: 最近出会い厨からのメッセージが多くて、インスタが嫌になった (I’ve got a bunch of DMs from people looking for hookups lately and it’s making me dislike Instagram)
Meaning 2: Someone who is available to meet up and hang out at a fan meet, convention, or something similar, always in the form 出会い厨出来る人.
Example: 明日イベントへ行くけど出会い厨出来る人もいない？(I’m going to the event tomorrow but is there anyone up to meet?)
ディグる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To spend time searching for things, especially CDs/records, in order to understand/appreciate something more deeply. In the ~ている form, can sometimes indicate expertise.
Example: 三時間ディグっていたがいいレコード見つからなくて悔しかった (I spent three hours browsing but didn’t find a single good record, which was quite frustrating)
ディズる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To go to Disneyland
Example: 昨日ディズった！(I went to Disneyland yesterday!)
デフォ
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: Your normal choice or preference
Example: この店でラーメンがデフォ。(At this store my go-to is the ramen).
Meaning 2: In the form デフォで, something being the norm or expected
Example: デフォで米の量が多すぎる (As is always the case, they gave out a huge amount of rice)
Meaning 3: Unadorned, as-is
Example: 最初はデフォで食べてみて。(First, try it without any toppings or seasoning.)
Meaning 4: A shortening of デフォルメ, or a distorted caricature
Example: このアーテイストのデフォがデフォだ。(This artist’s norm is the deformed style.)
デマッター
Type: Noun, Verb via する
Meaning: A person who lies/spreads misinformation on Twitter, or the act of lying/spreading misinformation on Twitter
Example: 意図的にデマッターをする人を即刻ブロックしたほうがいい。(You should immediately block people who intentionally spread misinformation on Twitter.)
天使界隈 (てんしかいわい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A fashion style dominated by whites and pastel blues
Example: 天使界隈の服をこのサイトで買えるよ。(You can get angel-style clothing at this website)
甜妹メイク (てんめいめいく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A make-up style using a pink base, makeup that “thins” the appearance of the nose, fluffing out the eyelashes, emphasizing (yes, emphasizing) bags under the eyes, and creating a kind of sticky, bright lip that looks young and “childish”
See also: くらげメイク, 白湯メイク
電凸 (でんとつ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To contact via phone
Example: クレームするために電凸する (I’m going to call to raise a complaint)
トゥアトゥン
Type: Noun
Meaning: Your favorite Thai idol/actor/performer
Example: 私のトゥアトゥンはBrighWin (I stan BrightWin)
渡韓ごっこ (とかんごっこ)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: To go to Korean restaurants, eat Korean food, go to Korean-style hotels, or anything else that gives you the feel of going to Korea without actually going to Korea
Example: 今海外旅行できないので、フライドチキンやキムチやソジュを買って帰って今家で渡韓ごっこ中。(I can’t go overseas now, so I bought some fried chicken, soju, and kimchi and I’m doing a pretend Korean trip at home.)
搭乗する (とうじょうする）
Type: Verb
Meaning: To enjoy something, especially a media product with planes or boats in it, and especially Uta-no-Princesama
Example: 搭乗する前にポップコンを買おう (Let’s get popcorn before seeing this film, which is probably Uta-no-Princesama related)
特定班 (とくていはん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: People who find the source of something or identify something, initially scenery or items which appeared in anime that you can visit/buy in real life, but now more generally any object of interest.
Example: 推しが着ているジャケットはどこで買える？特定班よろしく (Where can I buy this jacket my bias is wearing? Can someone find out for me?)
凸待ち (とつまち)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To be open to recieving messages/DM’s/questions
Example: 今日はゲームする気がしないので、凸待ちだよ！ぜひ気軽に聞いてね！(I’m not in the mood to play games [on stream] today, so I’m open to messages and questions! Feel free to ask away!)
凸る (とつる)
Type: Verb
Meaning: To contact someone
Example: 凸ったけどまだ返事がない (I contact them but there’s no reply yet)
突貫工事 (とっかんこうじ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Something done in a short period of time
Example: 突貫工事ですみませんが、このような感じで進めればと思っています。 (I just whipped this up really quick so sorry about how it looks, but this is the kind of feel we’re hoping for.)
特級呪物 (とっきゅうじゅぶつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An item which is “cursed”, in being either associated with bad luck or just unpleasant to find, look at, or own
Example: 元カレとの写真という特急呪物をふと見てしまった (I saw pictures of me with my ex boyfriend accidently and it was awful)
ととのう
Type: Verb
Meaning: To feel refreshed and invigorated after a sauna
Example: 朝サウナでととのった! (Feeling great after a morning stop at the sauna!)
飛ぶぞ (とぶぞ)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: It’s so good (usually food) it will blow you away
Example: 食ってみな！飛ぶぞ。(Try it! It will blow your mind.)
トレカデコ
Type: Noun, verb via +る
Meaning: Decorating trading cards of idols
Example: トレカデコるが好きすぎて部屋はシールやノリだらけになった。(I love decorating cards so my room is now full of stickers and glue.)
Note: The デコ ending can be written as 凸, including in verbs (凸る)
撮れ高 (とれだか)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The quality of a photograph, shot in a video, or acting, or photography/film/acting that is quality
Example: 撮れ高を意識して服をコーディネートした (For the purpose of taking a great photo we coordinated our clothing)
Note: The phrase appears in a number of common collocations, including 撮れ高が高い and 撮れ高過ぎる for “good”, 撮れ高が悪い for “bad”, and 撮れ高が低い for “few quality shots”. The kanji variant 取れ高 is also used.
トレパク
Type: Noun, Verb via +する or +る
Meaning: An image which is presented as an original, but is actually based on a tracing or copy of another image
Example: これは明らかにトリパクだよ (This is clearly a tracing)
Note: Someone who does トリパク is a トリパクらー, with an extended vowel at the end.
友達推し活 (ともだちおしかつ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To do activities to celebrate your friend
Example: 昨日一日中友達推し活をやってきた (Spent all day having a great time taking my friend out)
どしはな
Type: Phrase/Noun, Adjectival forms via + の
Meaning 1: A meme phrase used to mock reply guys who ask women “what’s wrong” online with ulterior motives
Meaning 2: Types of inquiry or conversation similar to that described above, wherein fake sympathy or interest exists (often in forms like どしはなみたいな感じ）
Meaning 3: Reply guys, or the kinds of people who ask どしはな sincerely
Example: どしはなされて気持ちワル (I got asked “what’s wrong” by some rando and it’s creepy)
-ドリュー
Type: Suffix
Meaning: None, really, just a cute suffix attached to い adjectives, replacing the final い
Example: 今日は寒ドリュー (Cold today)
ドレミの歌 (どれみのうた)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A Tiktok trend where someone plays the Japanese version of the “do-re-mi” song from Sound of Music but replaces the [thing] part of the “[sound], a [thing that starts with the sound]” with a short phrase relating to common issues based around the theme of the video, such as “unmarried woman doremi” or “supermarket worker doremi”.
Example: このファミレスドレミの歌みた？「ドはドリンクバーだけ使ってここで三時間佇むな」というところがめっちゃウケる。あるある話よね。(Did you see this “Family Restaurant Do-Re-Mi” video? I really laughed at the “Do is for DOn’t spend three hours here just using the drink bar” part. Really hits home.)
な行
なぁぜなぁぜ
Type: Phrase
Meaning: An affected but cute way of inquiring “why”, often used rhetorically after a statement implying hypocrisy or an improper state of doing things or being
Example: 彼女がいるくせに私にナンパして、なぁぜなぁぜ (You’ve got a girlfriend but you’re hitting on me. Why is that I wonder?)
ナイスパ
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A donation to a streamer, especially on YouTube via Superchat
Example: 今日もたくさんナイスパありがとう！(Thanks for all the donations today!)
Meaning 2: A phrase used like “おつかれ” between streamers:
Example: 「Aさん、今日ないすぱ！」「Bさんもないすぱでした！」(“Hey, good job today A!” “You too B!”)
猫耳ピース (ねこみみぴーす)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To turn your fingers into peace signs and put them on your head to create cat ears
Example: はい、猫耳ピースで写真撮ろう！ (Let’s do a cat-ear-peace picture)
投げ銭 (なげせん・なげぜに)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Financial donations to a streamer, artist, or content creator
Example: 良かったらこのリンクを押して投げ銭をください！(If you don’t mind, please click this link and donate!)
夏厨 (なつちゅう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Young, annoying people who swarm the internet during summer break
Example: 夏厨の時期なので多くのサイトを使えない。(A bunch of annoying kids are all free during this summer break period so lots of sites are unusable.)
ナマポ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A term of abuse used to mock people on welfare, or welfare itself
Example: 仕事辞めてナマポで生活するわ！(I’m going to quit my job and live on welfare.)
何も起きないはずがなく (なにもおきないはずがなく)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A meme-ish phrase used to imply that something will happen, originally used in a sexual sense but not mandatory anymore
Example: コンビニ。腹減った私。フライドチキン。何も起きないはずがなく。(A convenience store. Hungry me. Fried chicken. There’s no way something won’t happen here…)
生首ヘアゴム (なまくびへあごむ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A rubber hair tie with the face of a character/person attached, usually via some kind of acrylic, but cut off at the neck, used either to tie up hair or attached to clothing/items etc. as decoration
Example: 好きな押しの生首ヘアゴムをイベントで買ったので明日ツインテールを作ってヘアゴムで結んでみる！ (I got some hair ties with my oshi’s face on them at an event, so I’m going to try tying up some pig tails with them tomorrow)
ナムジャドル
Type: Noun
Meaning: A male Korean idol/musician
Example: 一番好きなナムジャドルはだれ？ (Who is your favorite male K-idol?)
なるはやで
Type: Adverb
Meaning: As soon as possible
Example: 行ってよ、なるやはで (Go, ASAP).
ナレシ
Type: Noun
Meaning: “Narration death”, when someone dies off-screen and their death is announced via voice over or similar means
Example: どうして俺の一番好きなキャラがもう現れないの？ナレシでもいいからどうなったか教えてくれ！(Why doesn’t the character I like appear anymore? Just tell me what happened to them even if its just via narration.)
なろう系 (なろうけい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Stories written and posted online, especially to the website 小説家になろう, often fantasy or isekai style.
Example: なろう系好き? (Do you like [fantasy] webstories?)
なんだが
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A meaningless phrase attached to the end of a sentence expressing some kind of emotional response or evaluation that sounds “otaku-y”.
Example: 明日は受験だから緊張してるなんだが。(I have a test tomorrow so I’m nervous.)
握る (にぎる)
Type: Verb, Noun as 握り
Meaning: To make sure everyone involved in a project or deal is on the same page and happy with the details
Example: ちゃんと顧客と握らないといけない (You’ve got to make sure you’re on the same page as the customers)
ニコイチ
Type: Noun, verb via+する
Meaning: Two things that match or go together really well, often a pair of people (when verbed, it means two things are working together well)
Example: ニコイチのウサギ動画見て可愛すぎて死ぬwww (I saw a video of a pair of rabbits and it was super cute I’m going to die lololol)
Note: Can be written as ニ娘一, and increased to include larger sets of people/items as サンコイチ, ヨンコイチ, etc.
ニコ厨 (にこちゅう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A person who is addicted to something starting with ニコ, most commonly Nico-Nico Douga but also nicotine or the model Nicole Fujita.
Meaning: ニコニコ動画で藤田ニコルのビデオを見ながらタバコを吸うなんて、本当にニコ厨だな (Watching videos of Nicole Fujita on Nico-Nico Douga while smoking? You really are a Nico-dict).
Note: Fujita’s fans often use hiragana for the whole phrase (i.e., にこちゅう)
ニシパ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Gentleman
Example: いいね、彼氏は爽やかなニシパだね。(Oh nice, your boyfriend is a fancy gentlemen.)
ぬい
Type: Noun
Meaning: A stuffed animal
Example: 大好きなぬいとディズニーランドに行ってぬい撮りをたくさんした！(I went to Disneyland with my favorite stuffed animal and took a lot of pictures together!)
Note: ぬい撮り are pictures taken with/of a ぬい out on the town, ぬい旅 is going out on trips (including errands) with your ぬい
ぬこ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Cute way of saying cat, ねこ
Example: このぬこめっちゃかわいいよ！(This kitty is super cute!)
ヌッパン
Type: Noun
Meaning: A livestream done as though about to sleep, usually in pajamas
Example: あのさ、昨日のBTSのヌッパン見た？ヌッパン最高だね！(Did you watch the BTS pajama stream yesterday? I love pajama streams!)
沼 (ぬま)
Type: (Meaning 1) Noun, (Meaning 2) Suffix, verb via +る
Meaning 1: Noob
Example: ゲームから出て行け、沼！(Get out of this game noob!)
Meaning 2: To be obsessed with something
Example: 私はBL沼。つまり、BLに沼っている。(I’m in the BL swamp. That is, I’m stuck on BL.)
ヌルゲー
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A game that is, or that you find to be, easy. Often used in a bragging sense.
Example: これは無理ゲーじゃなくて、ヌルゲー。お前はただ下手。 (This isn’t a difficult game it’s an easy game, you’re just bad)
Meaning 2: Something that is easy
Example: 大学なんてヌルゲーじゃん？ (Uni is super easy yeah?)
ヌン活 (ぬんかつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Going out for high tea
Example: 今日の貴族の遊びはヌン活だったぁ～！(Today’s little treat is high tea!)
ねぇハドラー、どうなってるの？
Type: Phrase
Meaning: Used to self when disappointed with the quality of an anime, or more broadly to express sadness, dissatisfaction, etc.
Example: ねぇハドラー、お腹空いたけどこのコンビニにおいしそうな食べ物が全然残ってなくて、どうなってるの？(Hadler, I’m hungry but there’s nothing good lucking in this convenience store, what’s going on?)
寝技 (ねわざ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An underhanded method of getting things done
Example: 今日の発表は最近の批判を紛らすための寝技に過ぎない (Today’s presentation is nothing more than a trick to throw off recent criticism)
猫吸い (ねこすい)
Type: Noun, verb via +する or as 猫吸う
Meaning: To nuzzle your face/nose into your cat and sniff, esp. because you find it therapeutic or calming
Example: いつも家帰ってからすぐ猫吸う (The first thing I do after getting home is always sniffing my cat)
ネップリ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Net printing service, where you can download images/stickers off the net and print them
Example: ネップリをどこでできるの？(Where can you print off this net images?)
脳死周回 (のうししゅうかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Mindless grinding (e.g., in a video game)
Example: 脳死周回を一週間やって、やっとレベル９９だ！(I grinded for a week and now I’m finally level 99!)
[Xは]飲みもの・飲める[X] (のみもの・のめる)
Type: Phrase・Verb
Meaning: [X] is incredibly delicious, you will eat it so fast as though you are drinking it
Example: 飲めるステーキを食べた。(I had the most delicious steak.)
は行
[NOUN]廃人 (はいじん)
Type: Suffix
Meaning: A person who is obsessed with [noun]. Can be used both as a term of self-deprecation, or to indicate that someone’s obsession goes to the point that it impacts their lives negatively
Example: 潔癖症？つまりハイジン廃人？(Clean freak? You mean someone obsessed with hygiene?)
Note: In “non-slang” use 廃人 is something like “cripple” in terms of both meaning and perception as offensive and outdated. Be careful when and where you use it.
配布芸 (はいふげい)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To hand out products (usually related to an anime or idol) for free
Example: 推しの新アルバムを五十枚買って、明日のライブで配布芸する。(I bought 50 copies of my bias’s new album and I’m going to hand them out at the live tomorrow.)
好きハオ (はお)
Type 1: Reaction
Meaning: I like this thing
Example: 玲奈ちゃん好きハオ。(I like Reina.)
Type 2: Nominal adjective
Meaning: Likeable
Example: 彼のこと好きハオでしかない (I like him so much I can’t help it)
Type 3: い adjective, via the form ハオい
Meaning: Enjoyable, good
Example: 昨日とてもハオいレストランに行ったよ (I went to a great restaurant yesterday)
Type 4: Verb, via the form ハオる
Meaning: To like
Example: 彼は私のことがあまりハオらないらしい。(It seems he doesn’t like me much.)
働きたくないでござる (はたらきたくないでござる)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A meme-ish way of saying “I don’t want to work!”
Example: もう月曜日なの？働きたくないでござる！(It is Monday already? I don’t want to work!)
はみ出していく
Type: Verb, Phrase
Meaning: To jut out in a stand-out way, to stand above the crowd
Example: 個性と自由ではみ出していく！(Standing out with originality and freedom!)
バイブス
Type: Noun
Meaning: Vibes, feel, atmosphere, one’s excitement or energy
Example: 彼からめっちゃいいバイブスもらったぜ! (I got great vibes from him!)
Note: Rarely verbed. バイブす and バイブる generally mean “to vibrate”
バウムクーヘンエンド
Type: Noun
Meaning: A situation where two characters who seemed like they were going to get together at the end of a story don’t end up together
Example: 絶対その二人が結婚してハッピーエンドになると思ったがまさかのバウムクーヘンエンド！！ (I was sure these two would get married and live happily ever after but it’s not to be!??!)
バカッタ
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: The act of doing stupid and/or annoying things just for the purpose of going viral
Example: ねぇ、聞いた？昨日ここでバカッタやっていた奴がふとレストランの窓を壊しちゃって、逮捕された。(Hey, did you hear? Yesterday those jerks messing around here trying to go viral broke a restaurant’s window and they got arrested.)
爆イケ (ばくいけ)
Type: Noun, な adjective
Meaning: An extremely handsome person or, as an adjective, extremely handsome or extremely upbeat musically
Example: 彼の爆イケな表情に惚れちゃった (I fell for his super attractive expression
爆死する (ばくし)
Type: Verb
Meaning: To spend lots of money in a gatcha game, buying card packs, or a similar lottery-style purchase and not get what you want
Example: パックを百個ぐらい買ったが、爆死した。(I bought 100 packs but I didn’t get a single good card.)
爆誕する (ばくたん）
Type: Verb
Meaning 1: To have a birthday
Example: 推しが爆誕した！ (My bias got older!)
Meaning 2: Something new and often exciting appears, or – via the させる construction – is brought into existence
Example: 新しい化粧品を使ってみて急に美人が爆誕した (I tried out some new make up and all of a sudden a beauty appeared!)
Meaning 3: Via 爆誕つける, to tag someone on Twitter etc. and wish them happy birthday online
Example: 爆誕つけるのを忘れてごめん！ (Sorry for forgetting to tag you in a happy birthday post!)
バ畜 (ばちく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A part-time work subject to unpleasant conditions
Example: 俺、死ぬまでバ畜かな (I wonder if I’ll be stuck in this miserable part-time rut forever)
バ美肉 (ばびにく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A streamer, usually a man, who uses a cute/attractive animated female character as their avatar. While this generally hides the streamer’s real identity, it is not deceptive in any way, with male バ美肉 streamers’ status as a man usually known and part of the appeal.
Example: このバ美肉は声を全然工夫しないので肉体は若い美人なのに声がアラフォーのサラリーマンの声そのまま (This female-avatar-streamer doesn’t modulate their voice at all so although their avatar is a young, beautiful girl their voice sounds just like a 40-something salaryman)
バブい
Type: い adjective
Meaning: Cute like a baby
Example: 私のワンちゃんが寝るととてもバブくてかわいい。(When my dog sleeps they are cute like a baby.)
バブる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To act like a child, to be cute, to look like a child, to depend on someone overly like a child, to babble
Example: 私はメイクが濃すぎるとちょっとバブる (When I put on too much makeup I look a bit childish)
バンギャ
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: A girl who is a fan of visual kei; in verb form, getting ready for a concert or doing fan-related activities
Example: 昨日カラオケに連れて行かれたので久しぶりにバンギャした。(Yesterday I was taken to karaoke so I sang a bunch of visual kei songs for the first time in a long time.)
Note: オバンギャ is an older バンギャ, バンギャ男 is a male fan.
バンク
Type: Noun
Meaning: A collection of pre-made shots used over and over in an anime, such as of a character transforming; by extension, re-used panels, shots, or scenes in a media product
Example: セーラームーンの変身バンクはとても有名だ。(Sailor Moon’s bank of transformation scenes is famous.)
白湯メイク (ぱいたんめいく)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A make-up style using a mat-white base, light pink lipstick, beige and brown colors around the eyes, and a bit of lip gloss to create a “natural” look that shows off good skin
See also: くらげメイク, 甜妹メイク
パフェいわし
Type: Noun
Meaning: A pose where you hold out your hands like showing off a plate of sushi or a series of videos/memes remixing a Kappa Sushi ad
Example: [link to original video] [link to video meme remix]
パリィゲー
Type: Noun
Meaning: A game which is very difficult and involves blocking based combat, a Soulslike
Example: セキロってパリィゲーでしょう (Sekiro is a Soulslike, right?)
パンピー
Type: Noun
Meaning: General people, non-otaku
Example: パンピーにとって無意味な話かも (Might be a meaningless conversation for people who aren’t in the know)
光の腐女子 (ひかりのふじょし)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A female BL fan who likes happy endings.
Example: 光の腐女子の反対は闇の腐女子。その中に夜明けの腐女子も黄昏の腐女子もいる (The opposite of a “bright” fujoshi is a “dark” fujoshi who likes tales of misery. Between them are the “dawn” fujoshi who likes twists and turns with a happy ending, and the “twilight” fujoshi who likes sad but romantic endings)
左側 (ひだりがわ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The dominating or “top” in a BL relationship (i.e., the 攻め).
Example: この二人をシップしたら、誰が左側だと思う？(If shipped these two, who do you think would be the top?)
姫カット (ひめかっと)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A hairstyle that has a short front featuring two long strands in the front which run in front of the ears, but is long in the back
Example: 姫カットは私に似合うかな (I wonder if I would look good with the princess-hairstyle?)
ひよってるやついる？
Type: Call/Response
Meaning: A way of encouraging your friends when they have low motivation or are scared of failure, from Tokyo Revengers. Others, or the person being encouraged, respond with いねえよなあ！
Example: 「好きな人に告白するにひよってるやついる？」「いねえよなあ！」(“Who here is scared of confessing to their crush?” “No one!”)
ひy (ひわい)
Type: Noun, な-Adjective
Meaning: Sexually explicit, vulgar, erotic
Example: ちょっとひyに見えない？(Doesn’t this look a little obscene?)
ヒンナ
Type: Sentence-final phrase, noun
Meaning: Thankful, especially for delicious food
Example: コーヒーセットが素敵すぎてヒンナでした。(The coffee set was too nice, I loved it.)
ぴえんヶ丘どすこい之助 (ぴえんがおかどすこいのすけ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: To be very, very sad
Example: 彼氏にフラれて、ぴえんヶ丘どすこい之助の私だ。(I was dumped by my boyfriend and I’m super sad about it.)
ピザ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Term of abuse insulting someone for their weight
Example: 食べ過ぎだよ、ピザ (Don’t eat so much fatty)
ピンチケ
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: Young, annoying fans
Example: ピンチケ押し寄せて、最前まで来た。(I pushed my way through all the annoying, young fans and made it to the front.)
Meaning 2: Good seats, often in the form ピンチケ席
Example: ピンチケ席で花火大会見たいな (I really want to see the fireworks from the good seats)
Meaning 3: A ticket that, for whatever reason, is pink, often in the form ピンチケ切符
Example: え、新幹線の切符っていつピンチケ切符になった？ (Huh, when did the shinkansen tickets become pink?)
ファボる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To “like” a post on Twitter etc.
Example: このデマをファボっているアホが３千人以上いるの？ (There are more than 3000 morons liking this fake news?)
フィルターメイク
Type: Noun
Meaning: Makeup filter on a phone etc., or makeup done in a way that looks like a makeup filter (usually meaning too much makeup).
Example: フィルターメイクのやり方を教えてくれない？(Could you teach my how to use makeup filters?)
フードファイト
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: An eating competition, or eating a lot of food, often especially to get prizes or gifts as part of promotions at the establishment
Example: めちゃくちゃフードファイトしたけど、コンプリートできなかくてざんねんだ。(I ordered a ton of food but I didn’t complete the full set of free items, too bad.)
腐臭(が)する (ふしゅうがする)
Type: Verb
Meaning: To give off the feel of BL but not actually be BL
Example: このシーンなんかめっちゃ腐臭していると思わない？(Don’t you think this seen is, like, kinda boys-love-ish?)
Note: Often also written as 腐臭い, where it functions as い adjective, but the reading of this form changes to ふくさい.
ふじこる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To lose the ability to speak due to confusion, frustration, shock, etc., can be due to something good or bad but tends towards bad
Example: 当たり前のルールにふじこる人なんてわがまま (People who get upset about obvious rules are selfish)
不仲説プリ (ふなかせつぷり)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Taking a photo with your friends where you pretend to not like each other, stereotypically performed by two people standing slightly apart from each other and looking directly at the camera with blank expressions
Example: いや、いや真紀さんと超仲いいよ。これはただの不仲説プリよ。(No, no, me and Maki are tight. This is just a joke photo where we look like we don’t like each other.)
フラスト
Type: Noun
Meaning: A display, usually but not always containing flowers, created by fans and displayed at a live show.
Example: フラストに参加させていただきました！ (I had the chance to help build a display for the concert!)
フリ素 (ふりそ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する or +にする
Meaning 1: Free materials, especially images or other digital items distributed online for use in artistic/creative projects including meme templates
Example: 犬の写真をフリ素にした (I made a meme-template out of my dog’s photo)
Meaning 2: To post photos of yourself, especially but not exclusively ones which show skin
Example: １００いいねをゲットしたらフリ素を晒す! (If I get 100 likes I’ll share some photos of myself!)
Meaning 3: To meet up online and take screenshots/photos together, especially (or even exclusively) in the game Phantasy Star Online 2
Example: エリア２９１でフリ素するので皆さんどうぞ～ (I’m waiting in Area 291 for anyone that wants to come take photos~)
ブヒる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To enjoy some kind of nerdy media. Often used derogatorily, but can be used in a neutral or warmly self-mocking manner too.
Example: 好きすぎてブヒるしかない (I love it so much I can’t help but geek out)
ブレ盛り (ぶれもり)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A picture which is blurry but looks good because of that
Example: この写真はブレているけど逆にブレ盛りだから大丈夫だよ。(Yeah it’s a blurry picture but that’s makes it look cool.)
ブロック大会 (ぶろっくたいかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An announcement, usually associated with LINE, that you will block anyone who doesn’t respond. Done either to thin a friends’ list or for ego purposes.
Example: 暇なのでブロック大会を開催する。(I’m not busy, so I’m going to block people who don’t respond here)
文鎮化する(ぶんちんか)
Type: Verb
Meaning: To brick, as in, for an electronic device to become useless. Used especially with smaller devices
Example: 昨日買ったスマホがもう文鎮化したの？まじで！(The smartphone you bought yesterday is already bricked? Really?)
Note: 文鎮化の恐れ is used to mean “fear of bricking”
ブンドド
Type: Noun, verb via + する
Meaning: The sound of smashing plastic figures together, the act of “play fighting” with plastic figures, or (taking) pictures of plastic figures posed to look like they are fighting
Example: ブンドドが激しすぎて、ガンダムの足が折れてしまった。(I was fighting my toys too hard and the gundam’s leg broke.)
m9(^Д^)ﾌﾟｷﾞｬｰ
Type: Kaomoji/reaction, verb as プギャーする
Meaning: As a kaomoji, used to mock or laugh at someone. As プギャーする, to laugh at someone.
Example: なんでプギャーされてるの？ (Why am I being mocked?)
プチプラ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Cheap fashion accessories and makeup (no negative implication)
Example: このトップスカッコイイでしょう！実はプチプラだよ。めっちゃ安かった。(This top is amazing, right! It was actually super cheap.)
ぷちょへんざ
Type: Exclamation
Meaning: “Put your hands up”, express joy
Example: この曲が好きな人ぷちょへんざ！ (Everyone who loves this song, put your hands up!)
プルい
Type: い Adjective
Meaning 1: Lips that are full or “bouncy” due to lip gloss etc.
Example 1: これを少し塗ったら… はい、プルくなった！ (With just a little bit added here, there we go, check out these full lips!)
Meaning 2: Jiggly, especially of food
Example 2: きのうのプリン本当にプルかった。(Yesterday’s pudding was super jiggly)
平成ギャル (へいせいぎゃる)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: A woman with an interest in 90’s retro fashion from Japan, or, when used as a modifier, something in a 90’s retro style associated with ギャル in Japan at the time.
Example: 平成ギャルのスマホカバーを自分で作った。可愛いよね！(I made a retro 90’s girl phone case. Isn’t it cute?)
蛇化現象 (へびかげんしょう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Someone’s small odd traits that make you fall for them, the opposite of 蛙化現象
Example: オタク話をし過ぎることこそが好きで蛇化現象に近い (I actually love how overly nerdy their conversations are, it’s what makes me like them)
ヘラる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To become sad, to be glum
Example: チームゲームを一人でやるとやっぱりちょっとヘラる (When I play team games solo I of course get a bit down)
ペシかわ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Pessimistic or dour but ultimately cute
Example: 彼は時々鬱っぽいけどそのペシかわのところも好き。(He’s a bit depressive sometime but it’s cute.)
ペライチ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A single diagram, image, webpage, or handout that is just one page long
Example: こんなにデータがあるのに「ペライチ作れ」と言われるなんて (We have all this data and they tell us to condense it into a single image?)
ほいで？
Type: Response
Meaning: Encourages person to give more details like “and then?”. When speaking alone can be used like そして or それで
Example: 彼はね、とても親切。ほいでスタイルもとてもいい。(He’s super kind. Also, his style is great.)
干されヲタ (ほされをた)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An otaku that has been “left hanging” or ignored by the person they are obsessed with (e.g., when taking a picture the idol doesn’t participate in a pose). The opposite of an 押されヲタ.
Example: 押されヲタと干されヲタの違いはやっぱりある意味で感覚次第だ。(The difference between a fan who got treated well or poorly is, to some extent, depending on your sense of things.)
ホカンス
Type: Noun, Verb via する or に行く
Meaning: Vacation at a (expensive) hotel
Example: 海外旅行する時間がないので、その代わりにホカンスしようか？(I don’t have time to travel overseas, so instead why not a staycation?)
本人不在誕生日会 (ほんにんふざいだんじょうびかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A party thrown for someone that either doesn’t exist (e.g., an anime character) or who cannot/is not likely to come (your favorite idol)
Example: 一週間準備した本人不在誕生日会をとても楽しく開いた！(We had a blast celebrating “the real person isn’t here birthday party” that we spent a week preparing!)
母胎ソロ (ぼたいそろ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The state of never having had a romantic partner
Example: ええええ？連君母胎ソロなの？イケメンなのに？(Whaaaaaat? Ren has never dated? Despite being that handsome?)
Note: Used especially in discussions of K-pop/K-drama idols
ぽえん
Type: Reaction
Meaning: Happy, the opposite of ぴえん
Example: 推しに会えてぽえん！(I’m so happy I got to meet my bias!)
Note: Sometimes used in the opposite manner to mean “extremely sad” in the order ぴえん -> ぱおん -> ぽえん going from very sad to extremely sad.
ポテンヒット
Type: Noun
Meaning: When a task or job exists but no one knows whose responsibility it is
Example: ポテンヒットがないようにどの時点でハンドオーバーするかを決めておこう (Let’s decide at what points handovers will occur so that no tasks end up floating around without a clear owner)
ポチャ
Type 1: Noun
Meaning 1: A small izakaya focused on Korean food
Type 2: Noun, Verb via +る
Meaning 2: Chubby, a shortening of ぽっちゃり
Example: ポチャで食べすぎてポチャった (I ate too much at pocha and gained some weight).
ポチる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To buy, usually online
Example: ビールを飲み過ぎて、アマゾンから要らないものをたくさんポチってしまった。(I drank too much beer and bought a bunch of crap I don’t need from Amazon.)
ぽよる
Type: Verb
Meaning 1: Soft and fluffy or a cute way of referring to your own fat
Example: まぁ、私は少しぽよってるけどあまり気にしていない。(Well, I’m a little chubby but I don’t care.)
Meaning 2: To fail, or to be finished in a unfortunate way, often in the form 萎えぽよった (なえぽよった）or the contracted 萎えぽよ
Example: 誰か、ぽよった私を慰めてくれない？(Can’t anyone cheer me up after this failure?)
Note: Almost always appears in the ~ている or ~った form
ポンチ絵 (ぽんちえ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A diagram or illustration, often quickly done, which is designed to explain something simply
Example: ちょっとわかりにくいので黒板でさっさとポンチ絵を書くね (It’s a bit tricky, so let me just whip up a simple diagram on the blackboard)
ま行
マウンティング
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: Oneupsmanship
Example: いつも「東大ではさ」で話しを始める彼のマウンティングにうんざりしている。(I’m so sick of the one-upmanship of this guy, starting every sentence with “Well, at Tokyo Uni…”)
マジレス
Type: Noun
Meaning: A serious reply, often one which is unwelcome or inappropriate given the context rather than the opposite of a クソレス
Example: マジレスで答えるな、馬鹿。(Don’t reply seriously here idiot.)
マンスプ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Mansplaining
Example: 私にマンスプするな。(Don’t mansplain to me)
水色界隈 (みずいろかいわい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A street fashion style dominated by light blue elements
Example: 最近水色界隈のインスタに夢中 (I’m obsessed with the water-color fashion world on Instagram recently)
見たらグイ (みたらぐい)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A phrase combined with a gesture similar to the “pinched fingers emoji” (and often used with it in writing). If this combination is seen, the other person must drink.
Example: じゃん、けん、はい見たらグイ！ (Rock, paper, got you you’ve gotta drink now!)
ミリしら
Type: Noun, suffix
Meaning: Don’t know even the slightest about something or an activity done without foreknowledge of the activity, especially overdubbing a video or singing the lyrics to a song you’ve never heard.
Example: 僕は英語ミリしらと言ったら正しいかも。(It might be correct to say I don’t know the first thing about English.)
観る将 (みるしょう)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Someone who watches shogi but doesn’t play it or, as a verb, to watch shogi
Example: 今まで観る将だったが、これから指す将になろうかなと。(I’ve just been a shogi watcher up until now, but I’m thinking of becoming a shogi player going forward.)
Note: As in the sentence above, 指す将 is someone who plays shogi
ムカつき式部 (むかつきしきぶ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A joking way of showing anger or frustration
Example: 彼のせいで電車に遅れてムカつき式部だったけど駅で友だちとばったり会って楽しい話をしたから平常納言になった。(Because of him I missed my train but I met an old friend and got to chat so I calmed down.)
Note: The pair word 平常納言 (へいじょうなごん) is used to mean “calm down”.
無理ゲー (むりげー)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A very difficult game, or, by extension, something which is very difficult, troublesome, or unfair
Example: 人生はやっぱり無理ゲーさ。(Life is a souls-like game.)
飯テロ (めしてろ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Doing things, especially posting pictures of food, that make other people hungry
Example: 彼はさ、いつもおいしそうな物を食べに行って、写真を投稿する。そんな毎日の飯テロ要らないからブロックした。(He always goes to eat delicious looking food and uploads the pictures. I can’t deal with this daily food terrorism so I blocked him.)
メシウマ
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: To be good at cooking
Example: お前、本当にメシウマだね。凄いな、コツ教えてほしい。(You are really good at cooking. Amazing. Teach me your tricks.)
Meaning 2: To be delighted at someone’s misfortune or failure
Example: 毎日ゴマを擂ってる田中さんが上司に酷く叱られてメシウマ。(God I love the schadenfreude of that suck up Tanaka getting scolded by the boss.)
Meaning 3: A phrase used when posting your near misses in gatcha games or gambling style activities
Example: わぁ、おしかったぁ、メシウマぁ～ (I was so close but I got nothing!)
メシマズ
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: To be bad at cooking
Example: じゃ、晩ご飯創るよ。でもめっちゃメシマズだから期待しないで！(Okay I’ll make dinner. But I’m terrible at cooking so expect nothing!)
Meaning 2: To be angry at someone else’s success
Example: 私が失敗したのにあの奴が合格してメシマズ！(I failed but he passed? I can’t deal with this.)
Meaning 3: Used in a mock-apologetic fashion to brag about your success in gatcha games or gambling style activities
Example: メシマズですみませんが今日の爆運がぁぁぁ！！！(Sorry for rubbing it in your faces but check out my luck!!!)
メリバ
Type: Noun
Example: A story which ends happily for the protagonists but is sad to read, usually due to immense losses along the way, or ends happily for everyone involved but the protagonists because they die accomplishing their goals
Example: 興味深い話だったが、やっぱりメリバが好きじゃない (It was an interesting story, but I just don’t like ‘merry bad’ endings)
メロい
Type: い adjective
Meaning 1: Has a sound which is associated with melodic death metal
Example: テクい曲よりメロい曲のほうが好き。(I’m less a fan of technical songs than melodic ones.)
Meaning 2: Cute, loveable, wonderful (often used with 死ぬほど)
Example: 武くんは死ぬほどメロい！！！(Takeshi is so cute I’m going to die!!!)
メンケア
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: Mental health care, or something that makes someone feel better
Example: このラーメンはメンケアでした (This ramen was necessary to cheer up)
モイ
Type: Greeting
Meaning: Hello, used especially when Twitcasting
Example: モイ！これからライブ！ (Hi, going live now!)
もうやめて[NAME]のライフはゼロよ！
Type: Phrase
Meaning: The [name]d item/person has already undergone enough suffering so leave them be, can be used jokingly
Example: ライブツアーと同時に新しいグッズも発表したの？もうやめて財布のライフはゼロよ (They announced a live tour and a bunch of new merch at the same time? Stop my wallet can’t take any more)
萌え袖 (もえそで)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Sleeves that go down past your hand, usually from a sweater or cardigan, and usually seen as positive/cute
Example: オーバーサイズを買ったので萌え袖！(I bought an oversized shirt so I have cute sleeves that are too long!)
もちつけ
Type: Command
Meaning: Please calm down a bit
Example: このビデオでも見てもちつけ (Check out this video or something and calm down)
餅武器 (もちぶき)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A weapon associated with a specific character, usually in a video game, or one that is designed around a specific character’s look
Example: やっとこのキャラの餅武器を完凸した! (I finally max-leveled this character’s signature weapon!)
モフる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To touch something fluffy and enjoy doing so
Example: ちょーかわいい子犬を見て、モフりたい気持ちを抑えられなかった (I saw a super cute dog and couldn’t hold back the desire to pet it)
もみあげ手裏剣 (もみあげしゅりけん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A pose where you hold your fingers next to your sideburns, and then sweep them forward until you end in the two-finger “heart” pose
Example: もみあげ手裏剣している写真ってちょう可愛い。(Pictures of people doing the sideburn-shuriken pose are so cute.)
猛虎弁 (もうこべん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: An internet dialect created by the baseball-focused NanJ 2/5-chan subforum, based on Kansai dialect features but simultaneously distinct. Part parody, part shibboleth, in particular to prevent matome sites from reposting NanJ content.
Example: 猛虎弁スタンプあるの？一般化したようだ。(There are “crazed tiger dialect” stickers on LINE? I guess it’s become normalized.)
モロ出し
Type: Noun, Verb via +になる
Meaning: To stand out or be openly visible, often but not exclusively referring to accidental exposure of genitalia. In sumo specifically, notes a game loss caused by visible genitalia more properly known as 不浄負け.
Example: この漫画が好きだけど、漫画家の偏見がモロ出しだ。(I like this manga, but the author’s biases are blatant).
や行
香具師 (やつ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Jerk, asshole, same as やつ
Example: 彼は嫌な香具師だね。(He’s a terrible bastard.)
やんのかステップ
Type: Noun
Meaning: A movement a cat does where they arch their back and then jump suddenly in some direction
Example: やんのかステップで登場! (The cat enters with it’s back arched in a jump!)
ユザネ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Username
Example: 簡単なユザネが忘れにくいけどつまらない (Simple usernames are hard to forget but boring)
ゆるぼ
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: To be recruiting or asking for something without any hurry
Example: 来月のライブに一緒に行きたい人をゆるぼ中! (Anyone want to go to the live next month with me? Plenty of time to think about!)
Note: The opposite of ゆるぼ is ガチぼ
幼女じゃん (ようじょじゃん)
Type: Exclamation
Meaning: Evaluating someone, usually in media like games or anime and especially men, positively for acting in a manner seen as cute, childish, and potentially feminine
Example: この漫画の主人公は幼女じゃん！(The protagonist of this comic is super cute!)
よきまるもんざえもん
Type: Phrase
Meaning: No problem
Example: 「帰りにビール買ってこれる？」「よきまるもんざえもん！」(“Could you buy beer on the way home?” “No problemo!”)
横攻め (よこぜめ)
Type: Noun
Meaning 1: A “top” in a BL relationship who seeks out/gets into relationships with straight men, usually straight men in relationships
Example: 横攻めはBLの横恋慕ってことだ (Yoko-zeme are the homewreckers of BL stories)
Meaning 2: An attack, approach, or method that comes from the side or an angle
Example: アイスの話になると、僕は横攻め派だ (When it comes to ice-cream, I eat it from the side)
よしなに
Type: Adverb
Meaning: To do properly, or with great care
Example: 計画をよしなに作ってください (Please make the proper efforts in creating the plan)
Note: どうぞよしなに is often used to mean 「よろしくおねがいします」, especially in the context of asking for followers
ヨジャドル
Type: Noun, な-adjective
Meaning: A Korean idol/musician, especially but not exclusively a female one
Example: 一番好きなヨジャドルはだれ？(Who is your favorite Korean idol?)
ら行
ラバスト
Type: Noun
Meaning: A soft, rubber thing that hangs from a strap on a bag or something similar, often in the デフォルメ style
Example: 私の自作ラバストが好き? (Do you like these rubber straps I made?)
ラブい
Type: い adjective
Meaning 1: Cute, lovely, or erotic
Example: 本当にラブい写真撮ったね！(You took a really lovey-dovey photo!)
Meaning 2: In the negative form, to be unlucky in a gambling or chance-based game/activity
Example: いっぱい課金したのにラブくなかった (I spent a lot but didn’t get a good outcome)
理あ彼 (りあかれ)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A supportive, understanding boyfriend or, depending on interpretation, a boyfriend who is a pushover and/or being taken advantage of by their partner
Example: 出会いサイトで理あ彼をゲットするなんて無理だと思ったけど、昨日会った人は本当に優しそう。(I thought it would be impossible to get an understanding boyfriend from online matchmaking but the person I met yesterday seems truly kind.)
リア凸 (りあとつ)
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To meet someone in real life
Example: きのう、ゆきちゃんとリア凸した！ (I met Yuki IRL yesterday!)
ライカントピニ
Type: Noun, な adjective
Meaning 1: The screens that appear before Thai TV programs, especially BL, warning about content, or the logo associated with those screens
Example: 最近色々なウェブサイトがライカントピニのシールを売っている。(Recently lots of websites are selling stickers of the Raikantopeni logo.)
Meaning 2: Something that is risqué or sexually explicit
Example: 私にとってこのシーンはちょっとライカントピニ過ぎる。(This scene was a bit too explicit for me.)
リアタイする
Type: Verb
Meaning: To watch in real-time/live
Example: 昨日のコンサートをテレビでリアタイした？(Did you see the concert yesterday live on TV?)
履修 (りしゅう)
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: To engage with all forms of a media product/empire, e.g., the manga, the anime, and the game
Example: 投稿する前にちゃんと履修しなさい。(Before you post make sure you watch everything.)
Note: 未履修 refers to a state of not knowing anything about the product yet, 履修中 is developing knowledge about it, 再履修 is to consume it all again, and 履修完了 or 履修済み means to be fully caught up.
リセマラ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To uninstall and reinstall a game, usually a gatcha-style game, to attempt to get really good starting rewards/conditions
Example: 二日間かかったけどリセマラ完了 (It took too days of installing and uninstalling, but I finally got a lucky starting roll)
リタマラ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: To enter/leave a battle, encounter, or level until you get the conditions/monsters/treasure you want
Example: リタマラせずにすべてのモンスターを殺せた (I was able to kill all the monsters without farming for them)
ラノベ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: A light novel or, as a verb, usually “to read a light novel” but can also mean “to write” or even “to collect” light novels.
Example: 一番好きなラノベは？ (What’s your favorite light novel?)
リムる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To unfollow someone on a social media site
Example: 彼にフラれたので全てのソシャルから即刻リムった。(He dumped me so I removed him on all social media.)
領域展開 (りょういきてんかい)
Type: Phrase, verb via +する
Meaning: From Jujutsu Kaisen, used as part of TikTok trends involving a “transformation” or as a verb to mean “realize your goals” or “succeed”
Example: お腹ちょーついたからいっぱい注文してこれから領域展開する！(I’m so hungry so I ordered all this food and now I’m changing my reality.)
両想い (りょうおもい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: When two people follow each other on social media
Example: あ、ごめん。フォローしてなかった。やっと両想いになった。(Ah sorry! I wasn’t following you. Now we are finally mutals)
量産型 (りょうさんがた)
Type: Suffix
Meaning: A usually positive term for fans of something who are all dressed the same, often by design/coordination (e.g., before a concert). Generally seen in the forms 量産型オタク・ヲタク or 量産型女子 . Can also be used to reference the hair/fashion styles associated with 量産型 individuals.
Example: 皆で量産型になってコンサートに行こう。(Let’s all dress up the same and go to the show.)
リンクコーデ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する or になる
Meaning: Two or more outfits which are quite different, but share some kind of item, color, pattern, or general vibe which links them together
Example: このグループの服やスタイルはメンバーによって全然違うけど、いつも同じ赤い靴でリンクコーデになっている。(This group’s members all wear different clothing and have different styles, but they are united through their red shoes)
例の回 (れいのかい)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A well known scene or event from a media product
Example: このアニメの例の回を見る度に涙がでちゃう。(Every time I watch that episode of this anime I tear up.)
レスバ
Type: Noun, verb via +する
Meaning: A “response battle”, an argument online
Example: ツィーターでレスバする暇があるなら掃除の手伝いもやれよ。(If you have time to fight on Twitter help me with the cleaning instead.)
レベチ
Type: Noun
Meaning: On an entirely different level of ability
Example: 彼女の美しさはレベチだ。(Her beauty is on another level.)
レモン少年 (れもんしょうねん)
Type: Noun
Meaning: A pose where you make your hand into a gun (thumb up, pointer out) and hold it angled across your eyebrow, referencing a child’s reaction to eating a sour lemon in a video
Example: 彼はレモン少年をしてるように見えるｗｗｗ (It looks like he’s doing the lemon boy pose lololol)
ロハ
Type: な adjective
Meaning: For free, without paying/receiving money
Example: 英語をロハで勉強できる？ （It is possible to study English for free?)
ロリデ
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: A day out with other members of the lolita fashion community
Example: 今日のロリデは楽しかった (Today’s lolita-day-out was fun)
わ行
わかりみ
Type: Noun
Meaning: Understanding
Example: わかりみの民が多くてうれしい (I’m glad so many people get me/this)
我が生涯に一片の悔いなし (わがしょうがいにいっぺんのくいなし）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: An exclamation of extreme joy, taken from First of the North Star
Example: やっと一位だ！我が生涯に一片の悔いなし! (I finally got first place! I have no regrets for this life!)
訳ワケメ (わけわかめ)
Type: Phrase
Meaning: I don’t understand at all
Example: 先生の言っていることが訳ワケメだから絶対テストに落ちる。(I don’t understand anything the teacher is saying so I’m definitely going to fail on this test.)
私、魔法のキキ！こっちは＿＿＿＿＿ （わたし、まほうのきき！）
Type: Phrase
Meaning: A meme phrase where you replace the __________ with some kind of (often minor) failure or disaster
Example: 私、魔法のキキ！あっちは私が乗り遅れた最終電車！(I’m Kiki the mage! And that’s the last train, which I missed!)
割れ・割れ物 (われ・われもの)
Type: Noun
Meaning: Warez, pirated software
Example: 割れ物サイトってまだある？ (Are there still warez sites?)
ワンチャンないで
Type: Phrase
Meaning: No shit, no chance, no possibility
Example: 徹夜飲んで早く起きる？年齢的にワンチャンないで! (Drink all night and wake up early? At my age there’s no way.)
ヲチする・ヲチる
Type: Verb
Meaning: To actively monitor, generally (but not always) in an obsessive way with the intent to find faults/criticize
Example: このアイドルのことが好きじゃないからこそヲチしているよ (I’m spending time on this idol’s socials precisely because I don’t like them)
＃行
100枚つけま (ひゃくまいつけま）
Type: Noun, Verb via +する
Meaning: A fad of putting on 100 fake eyelashes
Example: １００枚つけましたように目のまわりが黒い (Her eyes are dark, like she’s put on 100 fake eyelashes)
3150 (さいこう)
Type: Noun
Meaning: The best, awesome, amazing
Example: このかつ丼はあつあつで３１５０ (This katsu-don is hot and amazing.)
24する (つーふぉーする・つうほうする)
Type: Compound verb
Meaning: To report (offensive/illegal content) to someone, usually used as a joke but sometimes used as a threat
Example: 「昨日の晩ご飯はこれ！見てみて！」「贅沢すぎて２４するぞ」(“Yesterday’s dinner was this! Look look!” “That’s too amazing I’m reporting you to the authorities.”)
FAQ
Why did you do this?
I work as a sociolinguist of Japanese, and so the language use of subcultures is extremely interesting to me. This interested combined with my belief that academics should produce research that isn’t only behind paywalls ended up motivating me to start collecting, researching, and discussing Japanese slang in 2021. Someone online mentioned it would be nice to have all the coverage in one place, which motivated me to create this single source. For me, this dictionary is therefore is partially research, partially personal fun, and partially a way to ensure my work supports Japanese learners.
Why isn’t [word] here?
This is not intended to be the end-all be-all of dictionaries, nor do I have the time to make it such unfortunately. As a result, it only contains the terms that I have covered in my monthly slang reviews. Some of these words may be covered elsewhere too, but not to the extent of detail in the reviews, and other words I believe see their first English coverage here. So while this dictionary will never be “complete” (is any?) I hope you all still find it extremely interesting and useful.
Can you cover [word]?
If you can’t find anything about a slang term online or in major dictionaries, sure, let me know and I might look into it. My contact info is here or you can DM me on Twitter.
Do Japanese people really use these words?
Yes, absolutely. This dictionary only includes words that I have found actual evidence for their use (at least online). You can click any word to see proof. That said, some words are restricted to certain subcultures (e.g., otaku, fujoshi) and I obviously can’t help it if a term I covered here ends up “dead” a few years, months, or, well, days after I do so. Slang terms come and go. So be careful using them “in the wild”, especially in formal conversations.
Where do you find these?
As I mention at the start of all my slang reviews the website numan.tokyo is a major primary source for drawing my attention to words. I also just regularly read Japanese tweets, and browse new/popular websites like Nicopedia. Other times, I just stumble across new words while trying to make sense of texts using the slang word I’m researching at the time, or while watching Japanese media.
Can you also give information on etymology etc.?
I do! Click the word you are interested in. All the words are links to blog posts that give more detail. To keep this dictionary short and usable I’m only providing meaning summaries here.
Will this dictionary update?
Yes, once a month with about 10 words as I review them for my monthly blog post.
May I use the information here elsewhere?
Yes, of course. As long as you don’t do so for profit, and with proper credit and/or citation to me and the website. This dictionary is available under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 License.
Can I support this project?
If you have a bit to spare, subscribing on Ko-Fi helps contribute to keeping this website ad-free. I also happily accept Black Lotuses, and offers to pay off my mortgage. Outside of that, if what you see here has motivated you to produce your own free content supporting language learning (or anything else!), that would be wonderful support.
Scripting Japan 
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