80+ Japanese Slang Words to Help You Sound Like a Local

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Learn the meaning & usage behind popular Japanese slang
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Japanese words often have multiple meanings, and Japanese slang is no different! Keep reading for a list of over 80 Japanese slang words, from the common and youthful to those you’ll mostly hear online . Also, find out how Japanese slang terms differ from the more formal versions of the language.

Common Japanese Slang Words

  • Yabai (ヤバイ): Means both "awesome" and "dangerous.”
  • Maji (マジ): Means "seriously."
  • Kimoi (キモい): Means "gross" or "disgusting.”
  • Ossu (おっす): Used as a casual greeting.
  • Ukeru (ウケる) : Means "hilarious" or "epic.”
Section 1 of 6:

Common Japanese Slang

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  1. Yabai has several meanings, including “good," "awesome," and "amazing”; it can also mean "bad," "crappy," "terrible," and "dangerous." As the most commonly used slang word in Japanese, yabai can be used to describe both good and bad things.
    • Example: That concert was so yabai…I loved it!
    • Example: The sandwich was yabai—it tasted awful.
  2. 2
    Hanpa nai (半端ない) A positive Japanese slang word that means “wild” or “awesome.” It’s used to describe anything exceptional. Hanpa nai comes from "chūto hanpa," meaning "half-baked” or "incomplete.” Hanpa nai means "not halfway," or "not incomplete.”
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  3. 3
    Kimoi (キモい) Kimoi is used to describe anything or anyone that is “gross” or “disgusting.” Kimochi warui is a phrase that is said when you have a bad feeling about someone. When used by itself, kimoi translates to “ew!” in English. [1]
  4. 4
    Uzai (ウザい) Uzai is a way to call someone out for being “loud,” “noisy,” or “annoying.” It’s also used when you’re feeling generally frustrated with a person. Uzai can even refer to someone else as “gloomy.”
  5. 5
    Mukatsuku (ムカつく) Mukatsuku is the Japanese equivalent to the words “irritating” or “pissed off.” As a standalone word, it’s also used to complain about something that bothers you. Like other Japanese slang words, it’s used among friends.
  6. 6
    Bimyō (微妙) Bimyō is the same as saying “meh” at something that doesn’t impress you in English. It also means “questionable” when used to describe anything you’re not sure about, like a movie.
  7. 7
    Oshare (おしゃれ) Use Oshare to describe something that is either “fashionable” or “trendy.” It can also be used as a mild insult when someone is so into fashion that they appear “foppish,” or overly obsessed with how they look.
  8. 8
    Baka (ばか) To call someone a baka is like calling them an “idiot” or a “fool.” It’s one of many Japanese slang words used as an insult. It’s used in western Japan, whereas “aho” is its equivalent in eastern Japan.
  9. 9
    Warii ne (わりーね) Warii ne means “my bad” or “I’m sorry.” It’s a way to casually apologize to a friend when you’ve done something wrong. Warri ne includes the word "warui,” meaning "bad.”
  10. 10
    Deku (でく) Deku literally means “blockhead” or “wooden puppet,” but is mostly used as a Japanese insult when calling someone "useless" or "good-for-nothing.” It oddly relates to the Japanese word “dekiru,” meaning “can do.”
  11. 11
    Yatsu (奴) Yatsu technically means "guy," "chap," or "fellow,” but is considered a derogatory term when addressing someone you don’t know. It’s typically used for others who you consider below you, so it’s best not to call older adults, teachers, or family members yatsu. [2]
  12. 12
    Ama (アマ) Ama is a way to call a woman a “b***h.” It’s thought of as a swear word that is quite derogatory towards women. Ama can also refer to a “spoiled” person.
  13. 13
    Otsu (おつ) An informal way to say “thank you” in Japanese . Use it to express your appreciation to someone or to show gratitude.
  14. 14
    Bucchake (ぶっちゃけ) Means “to be honest” or “to be frank” with someone. It can also mean “to splash with liquid” when referring to a cold noodle dish.
  15. 15
    Chiruru (チルる) To say “chiruru” means to “chill out” or “relax.” You might use it to describe a “laid-back or relaxing atmosphere.” The related word Chirutteru is a verb indicating the state of being “chilled out.”
  16. 16
    Nori ga ii (ノリがいい) Use nori ga ii to describe a person who is “easy going” or simply “goes with the flow.” They may be an open-minded or social person, as well. Nori ga ii is considered a positive slang word or compliment.
  17. 17
    Guru guru (ぐるぐる) This slang phrase means “going around in circles.” It may be used when literally driving or walking around in circles, or metaphorically to describe feeling like you’re going nowhere.
  18. 18
    Gachi (ガチ) Gachi means “serious” or “real.” It’s used to emphasize anything that is done with major effort or something “genuine” or “intense.”
  19. 19
    Hamaru (はまる) Hamaru is said when someone is “obsessed” with something or super into it. It’s similar to saying “super” or “seriously” and is used to intensify any statement.
  20. 20
    Ganba (がんば) Ganba means “good luck” or “do your best.” It’s an alternate version of “ganbatte”; as the verb “ganbaru,” it means “to do one’s best” or “to persevere.”
  21. 21
    Dame (だめ) Use dame when you want to say “not good” or “not allowed.” It can also mean “useless” or “hopeless,” or when warning a friend by saying “no way.”
  22. 22
    Gaijin (外人) Gaijin is a Japanese slang word that translates to "foreigner" or "outsider." It can sometimes be considered negative when spoken about anyone who is not Japanese. [3]
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Section 2 of 6:

Youthful Japanese Slang

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  1. Habataiteru is one of many ways that Japanese young people say “cool.” It’s used similarly to the more traditional “iketeru,” which also means “cool.” Habataiteru is also a way of calling something “popular.”
  2. 2
    Sukihao (好ハオ) Use sukihao to mean “like” or “love” when expressing a friendly or romantic interest. It can also be used to express fondness for food, objects, or things. Hao is also often added to sukihao to emphasize the like or love felt.
  3. 3
    Aibou (相棒) Aibou means "partner" or "pal,” which can be another way to call a guy “bruh.” Though there is no official slang for “bruh” in Japanese, "kyoudai" means "brother,” but you can call a guy “bruh” by using their name, along with the suffix "-chan" or "-kun.”
  4. 4
    Kawachii (かわちぃ) Kawachii is a way to call someone “cute.” It’s an informal variation of the Japanese word "kawaii.” It means “adorable” or “pretty,” and is thought of as a sweet, innocent term.
  5. 5
    Gyaru (ギャル) Gyaru is one of the most specific examples of Japanese slang used by young people. It refers to a young woman with long nails and tan skin. Gyaru is also the name of a Japanese subculture that reveres an over-the-top, glamorous Western fashion and style.
  6. 6
    Dasai (ダサい) Dasai translates to “uncool.” A younger teen might refer to their parents as dasai. It’s the Japanese equivalent of calling someone or something “cringe.”
  7. 7
    Egui (えぐい) An exclamatory word meaning “awesome” or “incredible.” It originally referred to a strong or bitter taste in the throat, but is now a term used by young Japanese people for anything super impressive or amazing.
  8. 8
    Honto (ほんと) To say honto is like saying “really?” or “for real?” in English. It can also mean “true” or “truth” when agreeing that something is amazing or unbelievable.
  9. 9
    JK (女子高生) JK is a very abbreviated word that stands for joshi kōsei, which means “high school girl.” It’s made up of “joshi,” meaning “girl,” and “kōkōsei,” meaning “high school student.”
  10. 10
    Kira kira (キラキラ) Use kira kira when you want to call someone “sparkling,” “cute,” or “beautiful.” It can also mean “glittering” and “shining,” and is a very descriptive way of complimenting someone on their glittering eyes, smile, or clothing.
  11. 11
    Kireru (キレる) Kireru is a slang term for someone who “snaps” or “loses their temper.” It’s a more casual version of "okoru,” which also means “to get angry.”
  12. 12
    Maji (マジ) A way of saying “seriously?” or “really?” Its meaning is similar to honto, but maji can be paired with an adjective or adverb to emphasize something else, like “seriously cute.” [4]
  13. 13
    Moteru (モテる) Moteru is a word for someone who is very “popular with the opposite sex” or “attractive to others.” You’d use it when speaking about another person being attractive in a dating or romantic scenario.
  14. 14
    Ossu (オッス) Ossu is the Japanese equivalent to saying “what’s up, dude” or “yo.” It’s a casual greeting that is a short form of "Ohayō gozaimasu," meaning “good morning.” Ossu is used by guys more than it is by girls.
  15. 15
    Paripi (パリピ) Paripi describes someone or a group as being “party people.” It’s used for anyone who loves to go out at night, be social, and hang out at clubs or parties.
  16. 16
    Saboru (サボる) Japanese teens often use saboru when referring to “cutting class” or “skipping school.” It can also describe the more general state of “slacking off” or “being idle.”
  17. 17
    Zakko (ざっこ) When something is zakko, it’s considered “cheap” or “low quality.” It’s also used to describe someone who is “weak,” “unimportant,” or “expendable.” Zakko originally meant “small fry.”
  18. 18
    Sugoi (すごい) Sugoi means “amazing” or “incredible.” It’s one of the more recently used examples of Japanese slang and can be used in many ways, from meaning “I’m impressed” and “fantastic” to simply saying “wow.”
  19. 19
    Sutaba (スタバ) When a Japanese person refers to Starbucks, they say sutaba. It’s a shortened version of the Japanese word for Starbucks, which is “sutābakkusu.” It’s similar to saying you want to go to “Dunkin” or “D&D” when you want to get a coffee from Dunkin' Donuts.
  20. 20
    Nampa (ナンパ) Nampa is used to describe the act of “chatting up someone” or “picking them up” for dating or sexual purposes. It’s not inherently negative, but can be considered so when done aggressively or disrespectfully.
  21. 21
    Tehepero (てへぺろ) When you make a mistake, but want to appear cute about it, you might say tehepero. It’s a playful way of being embarrassed about your mistake when in an awkward position.
  22. 22
    Torihada (トリハダ) Torihada is a way of saying you have “goosebumps.” It literally means “bird’s skin,” when composed of "tori,” meaning bird, and "hada,” meaning skin. Use torihada when you want to express how scared you are to others.
  23. 23
    Ukeru (ウケる) Ukeru is used to call someone or something “funny” or “hilarious.” It can also mean “to receive" or "to accept” in formal Japanese. Ukeru is also used when texting about something funny.
  24. 24
    Uzai (うざい) Like other Japanese insults, uzai is how you call someone else “irritating” or “annoying.” It comes from "urusai," which is a more formal way of telling someone who is being loud to “be quiet” or “shut up” in Japanese .
  25. 25
    Wakannai (わかんない) Wakannai is used to say, “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand.” It’s a casual version of Wakaranai, which shares the same meaning and is used among friends.
  26. 26
    Zurui (ずるい) Use zurui when you feel like someone is being “unfair” or “sneaky.” It can even be said as an insult that translates to “you suck!”
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Section 3 of 6:

Japanese Internet Slang

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  1. Used to mean “wait a second.” It’s a favorite among young people on social media. The phrase "chotto matte" means “wait a moment.”
  2. 2
    Genkai otaku (限界オタク) Someone who is genkai otaku is viewed by others on the internet as being overly obsessive or a super fan to the point of being cringeworthy. It’s specifically used for those who are overly into anime, manga, or video games in Japan.
  3. 3
    Tētē (てぇてぇ) Tētē means “valuable” or “precious,” especially for online communities called Otaku, which include fandoms about anime, manga, and YouTubers. It’s a casual form of tōtoi, meaning "cherished.”
  4. 4
    Yuzane (ユザネ) Yuzune is a Japanese slang term for “username” for those in online communities or on social media.
  5. 5
    Riajuu (リア充 ) When you’re called riajuu, it means that you have a fulfilling life outside of your internet presence. Being riajuu indicates that you have family, friends, a significant other, or a job that pays well. It relates to "riaru,” meaning “real world,” and "juujitsu," meaning “satisfied.”
  6. 6
    W (or WW) (or WWWW) "W" comes from the Japanese word "warau,” meaning "to laugh.” Using some form of “W” is the Japanese equivalent of saying “LOL” in English.
  7. 7
    Mossari (もっさり) Mossari is used to describe an internet page that is “working or loading slowly.” It’s a favorite among gamers whose games aren’t working fast enough.
  8. 8
    Warota (ワロタ) Warota is used to express laughter when something online is funny. It’s similar to saying "lol," "lmao," or "haha” online.
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Section 4 of 6:

Japanese Slang Using Borrowed English Words

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  1. 1
    Sumaho (スマホ) The Japanese form of “smartphone.”
  2. 2
    Donmai (ドンマイ) It means “Don’t mind” to express the phrases “don’t worry about it” or “It’s okay.”
  3. 3
    Furītā (フリーター) Furītā is a combination of the English “free” and the German “arbeiter,” meaning “worker.” It refers to someone who doesn’t work full-time but may instead hop around between gigs.
  4. 4
    Disuru (ディスる) Disuru means “to disrespect or talk down” to someone. It’s a combination of the English word "disrespect" and the Japanese verb "suru,” meaning “to do.”
  5. 5
    Guguru (ググる) Guguru means “to Google something” on the internet. It combines the English word “Google” with the Japanese ending “-ru,” which describes an action.
  6. 6
    Ikemen (イケメン) Ikemen is a word that describes any “good-looking” boys or men. It’s like calling a guy you like “tall, dark, and handsome.” Ikemen combines the words "ikeru," meaning "cool" or "stylish," and the transliteration of the English "men.”
  7. 7
    555 (Gogogo) means “go go go” because “go go go” is the way that 555 is pronounced in Japanese. It’s often used between players before playing online games.
  8. 8
    4649 (Yo-ro-shi-ku) (よろしく) 4649 is another numerical example of Japanese slang; it sounds like "yoroshiku,” which means “please” or “regards.” It’s used as a polite request or as a way to say, “Please treat me well.”
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Section 5 of 6:

Japanese Idioms

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  1. describes someone who is “so busy that even a cat's help would be welcome.”
  2. 2
    Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu (馬の耳に念仏) Means “preaching to the deaf”; the equivalent of talking to a brick wall.
  3. 3
    Atama ga kireru (頭が切れる) Means “sharp-headed,” to refer to someone very clever.
  4. 4
    Anzuru yori umu ga yasashi (案ずるより産むが易し) Means “giving birth is easier than worrying about it.”
  5. 5
    Ishi no ue ni mo sannen (石の上にも三年 ) Translates to “three years on a stone” to describe perseverance.
  6. 6
    Ebi de tai wo tsuru (海老で鯛を釣る) Means “to catch a sea bream with a shrimp,” which is a way of saying you’re getting a big return for a small investment.
  7. 7
    Ichigo ichie (期一会 ) Refers to a “once-in-a-lifetime meeting.”
  8. 8
    Minu ga hana (見ぬが花 ) Means “not seeing is a flower,” a Japanese way of stating that reality can't compete with imagination.
  9. 9
    Nanakorobi yaoki (七転び八起き) Translates to “fall 7 times, get up 8,” another term for perseverance.
  10. 10
    Nau (なう) Nau is a Japanese version of the English word “now.” Online, it means that something is taking place in the present moment and expresses a sense of urgency for other users.
  11. 11
    Saru mo ki kara ochiru (猿も木から落ちる) Means “even monkeys fall from trees,” a way to say that everyone makes mistakes.
  12. 12
    Juunin toiro (十人十色) Refers to “10 people, 10 colors,” or “to each their own.”
  13. 13
    Hana yori dango (花より団子) “Translates to “dumplings over flowers” to refer to choosing practicality over aesthetics.
  14. 14
    Kaeru no ko wa kaeru (蛙の子は蛙) Means “a frog's child is a frog,” or a way to say “like father, like son.”
  15. 15
    Shiranu ga hotoke (知らぬが仏) Translates to “not knowing is Buddha,” aka “ignorance is bliss.”
  16. 16
    Nani shiteru? (何してる？) This means "What are you doing?” and can be expressed as "or "Nani shiteru no?” which is friendlier.
  17. 17
    Nito wo ou mono wa itto wo mo ezu (二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず) Means “one who chases after two hares won't catch even one.” In English, you might say, “chase two rabbits, catch none.” [5]
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Section 6 of 6:

Differences Between Slang and Formal Japanese

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  1. It uses verb endings like "-masu" and "-mashita” to communicate politeness in the present and past tense, respectively. Learning Japanese formally also means using special verb forms and vocabulary words called honorifics to show respect. [6]
    • Formal Japanese is used in business situations, when speaking to superiors or older people, or strangers.
    • For example, say “Arigatou gozaimasu” (ありがとうございます) in formal Japanese to say “thank you.”
    • “O genki desu ka?" (お元気ですか？) means “How are you” in formal Japanese.
  2. 2
    Japanese slang uses casual verbs and a more direct style. It also typically contains shorter words and phrases and a more relaxed tone overall. Keigo is not used, but a sentence structure with contractions or fragments can be. [7]
    • Slang is used in Japan when speaking to family, friends, or those with a social standing that is equal to or lower than the person speaking.
    • For example, say “Arigatou” (ありがとう) or “Sankyuu” (サンキュー) in casual Japanese slang to say “thank you.”
    • "Genki" (元気) means “How are you” in casual Japanese slang.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.languagerealm.com/japanese/japaneseslang.php
      2. ↑ https://lingopie.com/blog/japanese-slang-words-that-japanese-people-actually-use/
      3. ↑ https://lingopie.com/blog/japanese-slang-words-that-japanese-people-actually-use/
      4. ↑ https://lingopie.com/blog/japanese-slang-words-that-japanese-people-actually-use/
      5. ↑ https://blog.rosettastone.com/japanese-slang/
      6. ↑ https://blog.duolingo.com/japanese-politeness-formal-language/
      7. ↑ https://blog.duolingo.com/japanese-politeness-formal-language/

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