Japanese internet slang, also known as ネットスラング (netto surangu) in Japanese, refers to informal and often abbreviated or altered language used primarily in online communication, such as on social media, forums, and messaging platforms. These slang terms often evolve rapidly and can be a mix of native Japanese words, English terms, and even other languages. They are typically used for convenience, humor, or to convey specific cultural references quickly and effectively.
草 (くさ, kusa)
Description: This term is used to represent laughter. It originated from "www," which looks like grass (草) growing.
Example: 「あの動画、草生える」 (Ano douga, kusa haeru) - "That video is so funny."
ワロタ (warota)
Description: A colloquial form of "笑った" (waratta), meaning "laughed." Used to indicate something funny.
Example: 「この猫の写真ワロタ」 (Kono neko no shashin warota) - "This cat picture is hilarious."
神 (かみ, kami)
Description: Means "god" but used to describe something amazing or divine.
Example: 「このゲーム、神だわ」 (Kono geemu, kami dawa) - "This game is awesome."
了解 (りょうかい, ryoukai)
Description: Informal way of saying "understood" or "got it." Commonly used in text messages.
Example: 「明日の会議、了解」 (Ashita no kaigi, ryoukai) - "Got it about tomorrow's meeting."
乙 (おつ, otsu)
Description: Short for "お疲れ様" (otsukaresama), meaning "good job" or "thanks for your hard work."
Example: 「今日は乙」 (Kyou wa otsu) - "Good job today."
爆笑 (ばくしょう, bakushou)
Description: Means "burst out laughing."
Example: 「その冗談爆笑」 (Sono joudan bakushou) - "That joke made me burst out laughing."
ググる (ぐぐる, guguru)
Description: A verb form meaning "to Google" something.
Example: 「わからないことはググって」 (Wakaranai koto wa gugutte) - "Google things you don't understand."
それな (sorena)
Description: Used to express strong agreement, similar to "I know, right?"
Example: 「彼の話、本当それな」 (Kare no hanashi, hontou sorena) - "His story, I know, right?"
リア充 (りあじゅう, riajuu)
Description: Refers to someone who is satisfied with their real (offline) life.
Example: 「彼女できたの？リア充だね」 (Kanojo dekita no? Riajuu da ne) - "Got a girlfriend? You're living the good life."
厨二病 (ちゅうにびょう, chuunibyou)
Description: "Middle school second-year syndrome," describes someone who acts like they’re special or have hidden powers, usually in an exaggerated or dramatic way.
Example: 「あの子、また厨二病発動してる」 (Ano ko, mata chuunibyou hatsudou shiteru) - "That kid is acting like a middle schooler again."
バレバレ (barebare)
Description: Means "obvious" or "blatant." Often used when something is easily seen through or detected.
Example: 「彼の嘘、バレバレだよ」 (Kare no uso, barebare dayo) - "His lie is so obvious."
ニコ動 (ニコどう, Nico dou)
Description: Short for ニコニコ動画 (Nico Nico Douga), a popular Japanese video-sharing website.
Example: 「昨日ニコ動で面白い動画見つけた」 (Kinou Nico dou de omoshiroi douga mitsuketa) - "I found a funny video on Nico Nico Douga yesterday."
鬼 (おに, oni)
Description: Literally means "demon," but used to describe something extreme or intense.
Example: 「この課題、鬼難しい」 (Kono kadai, oni muzukashii) - "This assignment is insanely difficult."
ディスる (disuru)
Description: From the English "disrespect," means to insult or criticize someone.
Example: 「彼はいつも人をディスってる」 (Kare wa itsumo hito o disutteru) - "He's always dissing people."
メンヘラ (menhera)
Description: Refers to someone who has mental health issues or exhibits unstable behavior.
Example: 「彼女はメンヘラ気味だ」 (Kanojo wa menhera gimi da) - "She tends to be a bit of a mental health case."
KY (ケーワイ, kei wai)
Description: Stands for "空気読めない" (kuuki yomenai), meaning "can't read the atmosphere" or "socially clueless."
Example: 「あいつ、ほんとにKYだな」 (Aitsu, hontoni KY dana) - "He's really socially clueless."
情弱 (じょうじゃく, joujaku)
Description: Short for "情報弱者" (jouhou jakusha), meaning "information weakling," or someone who is not well-informed.
Example: 「彼は情弱だから、何も知らない」 (Kare wa joujaku dakara, nanimo shiranai) - "He's an information weakling, so he knows nothing."
ドンマイ (donmai)
Description: From the English "don't mind," used to encourage someone who has made a mistake.
Example: 「失敗してもドンマイ」 (Shippai shitemo donmai) - "Even if you fail, don’t worry about it."
グダグダ (gudaguda)
Description: Describes something or someone that is disorganized, sloppy, or not progressing smoothly.
Example: 「今日はグダグダな一日だった」 (Kyou wa gudaguda na ichinichi datta) - "Today was such a sloppy day."
オワコン (owakon)
Description: Short for "終わったコンテンツ" (owatta kontentsu), meaning "finished content," used to describe something that has lost its popularity.
Example: 「あのアニメ、もうオワコンだよ」 (Ano anime, mou owakon dayo) - "That anime is already old news."
ステマ (sutema)
Description: Short for "ステルスマーケティング" (suterusu maaketingu), meaning "stealth marketing."
Example: 「このレビュー、ステマっぽいな」 (Kono review, sutema ppoi na) - "This review seems like stealth marketing."
パリピ (paripi)
Description: Short for "パーティーピープル" (paatii piipuru), meaning "party people."
Example: 「彼は毎週末パリピしてる」 (Kare wa maishuumatsu paripi shiteru) - "He parties every weekend."
ネカマ (nekama)
Description: Refers to a male pretending to be female online.
Example: 「実はネカマだった」 (Jitsu wa nekama datta) - "That player was actually a guy pretending to be a girl."
オタク (otaku)
Description: Used to describe someone with an intense interest in a particular subject, especially anime or manga.
Example: 「彼はアニメオタクだ」 (Kare wa anime otaku da) - "He's an anime nerd."
ツンデレ (tsundere)
Description: Describes a character who is initially cold and hostile but eventually shows a warmer, friendlier side.
Example: 「あの子はツンデレだね」 (Ano ko wa tsundere dane) - "That girl is a tsundere."
マジ (maji)
Description: Means "seriously" or "really." Used to emphasize something.
Example: 「マジで？信じられない」 (Maji de? Shinjirarenai) - "Seriously? I can't believe it."
ウケる (ukeru)
Description: Means "hilarious" or "funny." Often used to react to something amusing.
Example: 「その話、ウケる」 (Sono hanashi, ukeru) - "That story is hilarious."
微妙 (びみょう, bimyou)
Description: Means "subtle" or "questionable." Often used to describe something that is not clearly good or bad.
Example: 「この映画、微妙だった」 (Kono eiga, bimyou datta) - "This movie was kind of meh."
ダメ (dame)
Description: Means "no good" or "not allowed." Often used to indicate something unacceptable.
Example: 「それはダメだよ」 (Sore wa dame dayo) - "That's not allowed."
ガチ (gachi)
Description: Means "serious" or "real." Often used to indicate something genuine or intense.
Example: 「彼はガチで強い」 (Kare wa gachi de tsuyoi) - "He's seriously strong."
ツイート (tsuiito)
Description: Refers to a post on Twitter.
Example: 「面白いツイートを見た」 (Omoshiroi tsuiito o mita) - "I saw an interesting tweet."
チャット (chatto)
Description: Means "chat," usually referring to online messaging.
Example: 「友達とチャットしてた」 (Tomodachi to chatto shiteta) - "I was chatting with a friend."
クソ (kuso)
Description: Literally means "crap" or "shit," but used to emphasize something negative.
Example: 「このゲーム、クソ難しい」 (Kono geemu, kuso muzukashii) - "This game is freaking hard."
ガラケー (garakee)
Description: Short for "ガラパゴス携帯" (Garapagosu keitai), meaning "Galapagos phone," referring to old feature phones.
Example: 「まだガラケー使ってるの？」 (Mada garakee tsukatteru no?) - "Are you still using a flip phone?"
リアタイ (riatai)
Description: Short for "リアルタイム" (riaru taimu), meaning "real-time." Used to describe watching or doing something live.
Example: 「その番組リアタイで見た」 (Sono bangumi riatai de mita) - "I watched that show live."
コスプレ (kosupure)
Description: Short for "costume play," meaning dressing up as a character from anime, manga, etc.
Example: 「イベントでコスプレした」 (Ibento de kosupure shita) - "I did cosplay at the event."
スパム (supamu)
Description: Means "spam," referring to unwanted or repetitive messages.
Example: 「そのメール、スパムだった」 (Sono meeru, supamu datta) - "That email was spam."
アバター (abata)
Description: Refers to an avatar or a virtual representation of a user.
Example: 「新しいアバターを作った」 (Atarashii abataa o tsukutta) - "I created a new avatar."
ブロック (burokku)
Description: Means "block," referring to preventing someone from contacting you online.
Example: 「迷惑だからブロックした」 (Meiwaku dakara burokku shita) - "I blocked them because they were annoying."
炎上 (えんじょう, enjou)
Description: Means "flame" or "burn," used to describe a situation where someone is being heavily criticized online.
Example: 「彼のツイートが炎上した」 (Kare no tsuiito ga enjou shita) - "His tweet caused a lot of backlash."
ドヤ顔 (どやがお, doyagao)
Description: Means "smug face," used to describe someone looking overly proud or smug.
Example: 「試験に合格してドヤ顔してる」 (Shiken ni goukaku shite doyagao shiteru) - "He's got a smug face after passing the exam."
フリーズ (furiizu)
Description: Means "freeze," referring to a computer or application becoming unresponsive.
Example: 「パソコンがフリーズした」 (Pasokon ga furiizu shita) - "My computer froze."
ヲタ芸 (ヲタげい, wotagei)
Description: Refers to the dance moves performed by fans (often in the otaku community) at concerts.
Example: 「ライブでヲタ芸を披露した」 (Raibu de wotagei o hirou shita) - "I performed wotagei at the concert."
寝落ち (ねおち, neochi)
Description: Means "falling asleep unintentionally," often while using a phone or computer.
Example: 「昨夜、寝落ちしちゃった」 (Sakuya, neochi shichatta) - "I accidentally fell asleep last night."
ぽちる (pochiru)
Description: From the sound "ポチ," meaning to click or press a button, often used to refer to online shopping.
Example: 「新しい本をぽちった」 (Atarashii hon o pochitta) - "I clicked to buy a new book."
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