The two both have pretty much the same meaning, except meccha comes from the Kansai dialect (a breeder for cool new slang) and is a play on the word mecha-kucha (disorderly, absurd). ***** Maggie has been tweeting buzz words or colloquial expressions on Twitter for quite a while (so you should follow us!→ Maggie Sensei Twitter), but she hasn’t made a slang lesson here since 2015! It means something along the lines of “great job,” “you worked hard,” and “thanks for your hard work.”. Just as the word umai is a synonym of both oishii (tasty) and jouzu (skillful/good at), you can use shareru (and its present-tense form shareteiru which gets slang-ized into shareteru) to refer to something that is good. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Online Gaming Japanese Slang. Slang words are usually not found in dictionaries and are usually not taught in in learning Japanese. This article provides the most essential words, adjectives and verbs that will enrich your conversational skills and help you to survive to any basic situations when coming to Japan. I have selected ten most common Japanese slang words useful for you to know below. It means “shit,” “fuck,” or “dammit,” like how all of those can be interchangeable in English. This is more popular among teenagers. Meaning. Example: “Metcha kawaii!”—So cute! Learning Japanese Slang on LingQ. Elaina Robbins. If you want to learn more casual speech and slang, make sure to check out JapanesePod101. It sounds more harsh than standard Japanese, because it uses more blunt endings like ya nen, na, and hen. Actually, we hardly use these words normally, but it might be funny topics of lunch time chit-chat with your friends ! This article introduces 10 words derived from English that are currently used in Japanese. It’s common to hear this one muttered under someone’s breath. There are slang words in every country and language. Originating from Tama, a city in Tokyo, “うざい” (uzai) was initially a regional dialect. This means, “That!” or “Exactly!” It’s used like English slang when we agree with something someone said, and we simply reply with “This!” Meaning, we were thinking the same thing and 100% agree. It can also be used to describe something that repulses you. Like this: (笑). Japanese slang words. It’s a shortened form of the greeting おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu, “Good morning”). It means someone “can’t read the air” or is oblivious to the mood of the room or another person. Are you looking for German quotes? This article gathers 20 handy ways of saying "you're welcome in Japanese" and provides the kanji, hiragana and romaji readings for each expression. Maji is used as a prefix, often with the particle ”de で” to form the adverb ”Majide マジで”. Surprised? しかかたん. Think of this as Japan’s version of “tall, dark, and handsome.”, It’s often used to talk about celebrities, but any man can be regarded as イケメン. I’ve also included some that are exclusive to Tokyo-ben (Tokyo dialect) and Kansai-ben (Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe dialect), which are two of the most common dialects spoken in Japan. …so if you’re alone on Christmas, update your Facebook status with: 1. This article gathers more than 70 slang words in one place. It’s almost never taught in textbooks (and what they list as “slang” is really just casual speech, or very outdated). But, Japanese actually boasts tons of slang words! You don’t have to be a big gamer to use these next four. Whether you’re looking to use quotes to help you learn German or you want some beautiful words to brighten up your day, you’ll find them right here. Japanese is no different. Learning slang is fun, but only use it in a real context when you’re around friends. I’m a Japanese business man who is working and living in Japan. しか勝たん. (A real stereotype.). Profanity in the Japanese language can pertain to scatological references or aim to put down the listener by negatively commenting on their skill levels, intellect, or appearance. Here are a few you should know from the region: Ah, Japanese text and internet slang. Most Japanese slang is used for descriptions, greetings, and outbursts of emotion. ひらがな. In practice, people who study other languages usually don’t learn the bad language first and how to use profanity. THIS is how I learn a language in 3 months. Unconventional language hacking tips from Benny the Irish polyglot; travelling the world to learn languages to fluency and beyond! Could you understand each of it ? Appendix: Common Japanese Words Often Used in Anime 1: Common Japanese Greetings and Responses. One of the strongest curse words in Japanese. I want to share Japanese words and culture with everyone. Alone, single and lonely! Elaina is a writer and classical singer from Fort Wayne, IN. :P. 20 phrases : How to say you’re welcome in Japanese ? Good Morning: Ohaiyou; Good Day/Afternoon: Konnichiwa; Good Evening: Kombanwa; Good Night: Oyasumi Nasai; Goodbye: Sayounara; Thank you: Arigatou; I’m Back: Tadaima (Said when returning home) Welcome Home: Okaeri (Welcoming someone back home) 2: Japanese Numbers San is of course the suffix added to people’s names in Japanese, and kakkee is the masculine/tough way of saying the word kakkoii (“cool/handsome”). こn (kon) is short for konnichiwa (hello), んp (np) means exactly what it does in English (no problem), and うp (up) stands for “upload”. This one is used the same way やばい is. Still, there are five more slang words you’ll need to know before your first trip to Japan. But knowing these will help you immerse yourself in the language online, and understand what you’re reading on Twitter. You can use this for anything and everything that you can’t wait for. すごく勉強にな… 【Japanese Slang】 よのなかをぶっつぶそう！ Yononaka o butsubusou Let’s fuck the world! 10 “Japanglish” words : English that is only used in Japan. Tokyo-ben is what you hear most in the Japanese media, such as on TV, because it’s considered “standard” dialect. It’s one of those Japanese phrases that has no exact translation. Although some of these can be used jokingly among friends (guys especially), don’t use these words all the time unless you want to be perceived as quite the Western loudmouth jerk. Because of that, rather than throw her in the deep end, in this last video I put her face-to-face (digitally) with an Esperanto speaker she didn't know and she had to make conversation. As a slang term, it’s posted online as a way to say “I’m bored, let’s chat” or “Talk to me.”, Yes, just “w.” It’s the Japanese equivalent of “lol” in English text slang. Keep in mind, though, that speaking formal and standard Japanese is recommended when you’re around strangers, especially those older than you. But they’re not typos at all! In this article, I will explain the difference between two expressions that look similar but have very different meanings : わけがない and わけじゃない. This one is incredibly common in everyday speech all around Japan. As for キモい, it only means “gross,” “disgusting,” or “ew.” You can use it as an exclamation like “Ew!” or say キモいだね (kimoi da ne) to say it’s “Disgusting, right?”, イケメン is used to talk about good-looking men with a very specific style. This word is used to mean “very” or “totally” for emphasis. To be slangy with nicknames, you would typically shorten someone’s name and add a cute honorific (or omit the honorific altogether). Peter Constantine's book Japanese Street Slang; for more offensive language. In fact, some of these slang words will still be seen around forums and chatrooms. In case you feel the need to let out a curse under your breath, you can do so in Japanese. Akan! This list may not reflect recent changes . They’re abbreviated slang terms. They’re usually well dressed, intelligent, and slender, with husky voices and aloof personalities. PRODUCTS • ABOUT BENNY • MEET BENNY • CONTACT • SPEAK IN A WEEK • LANGUAGE HACKING BOOKS • PRIVACY POLICY, Caitlin is a content creator, fitness trainer, zero waster, language lover, and Star Wars nerd. ! Your email address will not be published. By the lat t er half of 1965, the usage of the slang became common among youths outside of Tama, and it eventually spread all over Japan.. It’s kind of like surfer-speak, and it’s used by guys to greet each other. A:さやかはいつもかわいい服を着てる … It means ググレカス (gugurekasu), and means “Google it yourself, scum.” It’s a bit harsh, to say the least, but you’ll see it on the internet. Share it with me in the comments! Using LingQ is the best way to learn Japanese because it allows you to import content you love and turn the into interactive lessons. You could use in (almost) every conversations. おk (ok) There are a lot of Japanese slang words that developed as keyboard shortcuts, just like in English! Even so, Tokyo is like New York — people from around the country move there, and their slang gets blended together. Furthermore, there are different levels of Japanese speech that indicate politeness, social standing and respect, referred to, simply, as honorific form (敬語 keigo). Those three look like typos, don’t they? Last up, here are some general slang phrases that you’ll hear and see online. While くそ is quite common in Japanese, none of these words are safe to throw around lightly. Below is a list of 47 funny, life-affirming and motivational quotes from some of our [...], A lot of people are surprised when I tell them that I am not really that passionate about languages. Basically, kawaii means “cute” or “pretty”. But it’s not the only number you’ll see pop up as internet slang! These are the words that are often used among the Japanese teenagers in first half of 2020. NEVER GIVE UP ! cute, pretty, adorable. So, below are some common Japanese slang words, phrases, and swear words you’ll hear. Unlike in the last video, she only prepared a couple of questions, but most of her dialogue is spontaneous. Majide nemui マジで眠い。. This article gathers the best quotes from the Naruto anime and provides translations and grammar explanations. Or, who are satisfied with their real life rather than an online persona. So they leave it as the romanized “n.”, As for the other two, んｐ is the same as English “np” which means “no problem.” And うp is short for “upload.”, Use these words with care! At the same time, it’s more casual and flowing because words become shortened. Slang words are a part of the language system in the world. 遠慮のかたまり (えんりょのかたまり, enryo no katamari) is a deep slang word in the Kansai dialect which indicates a last piece of food on a shared plate by multiple people. Romaji. “Eating lunch now.”. Did I miss any Japanese slang or other cool Japanese phrases you’ve heard or used? It’s the opposite of オタク, which means someone who is a nerd, an introvert, or a homebody who is dependent on their persona online. Anway, with all that in mind, here are some Japanese slang words to get you started: やばい can mean… anything. That’s because adjectives can be conjugated, and the part that gets conjugated is the “i.” You’ll see them written in either kana, though, and both are correct. かわいい kawaii. Metcha can be used like the words "really" or “very” or “so”. Here are a few: When most people think of Kansai-ben, they think of Osaka, although it includes all the Kansai region. おめ – Congrats; あり – Thanks; こn – Hi; 55 This means “Die!” or “Go to hell!” It’s one that you’ve probably heard in Naruto and other shonen anime and manga. They’re also not to be used lightly in every conversation, but to be used appropriately with close friends and peers. Many of her clients have won awards and gained publishing contracts. If you are not sure of how to use some of these, please feel free to publish it in the comment part of this article and I will review it ! It’s a strong phrase, but a common complaint. Here are ten funny slang words in Japanese to make you sound more like a native speaker. This is where things get really interesting and slightly confusing, fast. Chou. It’s hard to teach slang because the words are often blended from a long string of other words or pop culture references. As a writer, she primarily helps authors write and edit their books. Top 10 Japanese Slang Words in 2020. Slang is what you use to let others know that you consider them close to you. Otaku slang‎ (4 P) Pages in category "Japanese slang" The following 3 pages are in this category, out of 3 total. Gairaigo (外来語) is the Japanese … There [...], Hello from Ireland today! You studied the Japanese alphabet, the Japanese numbers and learned basic Japanese with Mondly. No worries ! These are some common, fresh and everyday slang terms you should know: やばい (Yabai): Hands down one of the most common slang terms said today. 【Japanese Slang】 おまえちょうぶすだよ Omae tyou busu dayo U are fuckin fugly#Japanese #Nihongo — japanese slang (@slang_japanese) 2018年1月12日. Hōsō Kinshi Yōgoshū (放送禁止用語集) [in Japanese] ("Collection of unbroadcastable terminology") contains a list of words which should not be broadcast, including racially discriminatory terms. I hope you can enjoy learning the Japanese language and culture:), Study Japanese & prepare for the JLPT exam. It covers everything from “terrible”, “ridiculous”, and “crappy” to “amazing” and “awesome.” Its literal meaning is “dangerous,” but is used like “wicked” in English. It's unlikely you'll see me ever studying a language like Latin or ancient Greek, or picking a language based on integrate grammar points or because its phonemes or particular tones could be a “fun challenge”. 諦めずにがんばれ〜！ You won’t really find a translation for “dude,” for instance. Another one based on how it sounds read aloud in Japanese. It comes from the word ikeru for “cool” and menzu for the English-derived word for “men.”, マジ or マジで (maji de) is used as an exclamation of “Seriously? It covers everything from “terrible”, “ridiculous”, and “crappy” to “amazing” and “awesome.” Its literal meaning is “dangerous,” but is used like “wicked” in English. Alone on Christmas! So today we are going to learn a lots of new slang words and colloquial expressions. Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips. Meaning: Very, Totally, Super. Especially swear words. You’ll hear them often in Japanese dramas and reality shows, too! Bimyou means “questionable,” “iffy,” or even “kind of sucks.” It’s somewhere between まあまあ (maa maa, “so-so”) and まずい (mazui, “disgusting”) or ひどい (hidoi, “awful”). 888 is also used because it’s read はちはちはち (hachi hachi hachi), which is the onomatopoeia sound for clapping. With that, Japanese teenagers have reinvented the term in order to serve as a warning. This one comes from the Japanese onomatopoeia phrase, ムカムカする (mukamuka suru), which means to get angry, to be pissed off. おつ (Otsu) おつ is a very shortened version of the term お疲れ様 (Otsukaresama) which is a phrase that is very frequently used in the workplace. Oh, this is one of the Japanese slang words you’re going to love! Short for お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita), meaning “you worked hard” or “good job.” You can use it as a slangy goodbye. So they’re easy to pick up and use and sound very natural. Adding slang to your Japanese vocabulary is a sure-fire way to sound more like a native speaker! KY is an abbreviation for 空気読めない, which romanized reading “kuuki yomenai.” Thus, it became KY, written in English characters. It could be both good and bad. It means “that’s funny” or “hilarious.” It’s actually a verb, but it’s used more like “haha!” in English. Japanese Slang –Meccha / Chou The textbook word for “very” is totemo, but if you’re in an informal situation, you can say meccha or chou instead. Not yet ? It’s used to express frustration with other people or situations, and it’s often used online as well. Sure, a lot of importance is placed on being polite in Japanese—but Japanese people use slang all the time!. They are going to teach you some Japanese slang. This is an interesting slang term because it acknowledges just how deep we’ve gone into the digital era. Although this Japanese slang word is more commonly used in eastern Japan, many Japanese use it on a regular basis! This obscure kanji, which translates as “moth,” is now used as a shorthand for お疲れ様でした, which we talked about earlier. Think Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — you’re a bit dismayed at his bad behavior, but also impressed he went through with it. So, you “favorite” a tweet, or “like” a post. Another common shorthand, it means “I need the details!” or “Details, please!” It comes from the Japanese phrase 詳しく (kuwashiku), so it’s the first letter of each syllable when romanized. Would you have an extension cord ? A quick grammar note: slang words can often be written in either hiragana or katakana, but if it’s an i-adjective, the “i” is often written in hiragana, even if the rest of the word is in katakana. Let’s be careful :D. These are the words that are often used among the Japanese teenagers in first half of 2020. This is the short, slangy form of the adjective うるさい (urusai), which means to be “annoyingly noisy.” When it’s shortened to ウザイ, though, it takes on a bit of a stronger meaning like “what a pain” or “pain in the ass.” (Although not as rude as using that phrase in English.) This article provides a list of words and examples that would be useful to your daily life in Japan, such as May I borrow your charger ? External links. 日本語. (『神々の記』（KAMIGAMI NO KI）) “ggrks” is a Japanese internet slang.The original word is “Gu-gu-re-ka-su“. Anway, with all that in mind, here are some Japanese slang words to get you started: やばい (yabai) やばい can mean… anything. But understanding slang is key to having a deeper understanding of the language and sounding like a native. For many English learners, the vast differences in Japanese lettering, accents, and culture may cause more confusion than usual.But don't mistaken the value of knowing the most common Japanese swear words, if you're serious about learning this language. You’ll also hear it shortened to ヤバ (yaba) often, especially by men. When it comes to communicating in a foreign language—even one as difficult for English speakers to learn as Japanese—it’s less about speaking perfectly and more about using the appropriate language for the time, place, and occasion. Your email address will not be published. Because it’s read as おつ, which is the same slang term we covered above that means “you must be tired” or “thanks for your hard work.” You’ll see this as praise for someone online. This is short for 構ってちょうだい (kamatte choudai), which means something like “Please let me know (if we can hang out)”. This is part of why slang is so hard to translate and learn: you won’t find a direct translation between languages, you have to learn them by context. Hi, I’m Ryo. Inspired by that, I found these Japanese dirty words and slang that would be useful to know so that you won’t be the next Baka. Used the same way as マジ, it means “seriously” or “for real.”, This translates as “the lowest.” But as a slang term, it’s used to call someone or a situation “the worst!”. 超 (Cho) Very. めっちゃ (metcha): Seriously. !” It comes from the word 真面目 (majime) which means “serious.”. Japanese slang words are sometimes metaphorically based on the figurative meaning or sometimes are puns. Well, as a matter of fact, Japanese slang is very important to understanding the language and culture. リア充 means is a portmanteau word for “real world”, リアルワールド (riaru wa-rudo), and “satisfied”, 充実 (juujitsu). It means “insane,” “kickass,” “awesome,” or “outrageous.” The word hanpa itself means “halfway” or “unfinished.” Since it’s used in its negative form with nai, you’re saying something’s “not half-assed, it’s whole-assed.” And therefore, it’s amazing. It’s used to beg someone for all the deets. But these slang words can be heard everyday around Japan, especially among the younger generation. こｎ is short for こんばんは, or “hello.” The romanized “n” is basically laziness because to get the ん character, you have to press the key an extra time. マジ (Maji) Used the same way the English languages uses “no way!”, “really?” or “seriously?”. This is used everywhere. Japanese slang vocabulary is not published in any book. Celebrities influence slang, the internet morphs new shorthand every day, and Japan is notorious for shortening and combining words. … Cool Japanese Slang Words. Like when someone posts the answer to the clickbait title of an article in the comments to save you a click. “gu-gu-re” is an imperative form of “gu-gu-ru” and “ka-su” is an as**ole: the way we say to despise people.This word is used for a response when someone asked common sense on the web. Japanese Top 10 Japanese Slang Words You Won’t Learn in Japanese Language Class. To say you’re “googling it,” you use ぐぐる in Japanese. 7. After some time with my family, I fly to London for a week (location locked meet-up details right now on the Facebook page), and then I start my next language mission! つく (tsuku) comes from 作る (tsukuru), “to make.” So this phrase is used to say something has made you pissed off, or irritated you. That’s onomatopoeia for your heart is racing and you’re trembling with excitement. Olivia Munn and Keegan-Michael Key teach you Japanese and Detroit slang words. As you can probably guess, its real and slang meanings are not too far apart, with it literally meaning troublesome. Japanese slang is often hard to learn. We are now just a few days away from the Polyglot Conference that marks the end of Lauren's 6-week project to learn Esperanto, and she'll get a chance to use it to make new friends! So, this is a word combination of “Christmas” and “Hitoribocchi (alone).” This is a thing because Christmas in Japan is a romantic time for couples! Again, use caution with these. B. Bishōjo; O. Otaku; T. Tsundere This page was last edited on 19 November 2019, at 06:51 (UTC). Exactly what it sounds like: “fuck.” Imported straight into the language from English. Why “w?” Because the word for “laugh” is 笑い (warai), so it starts with “w.” If you wanted to say “haha” though, you’d use the kanji itself, usually in parenthesis. Because Japanese is such a polite language, there’s sometimes a misconception that slang isn’t used often. This one is short for 気持ち悪い (kimochi warui), which means something gives you a “bad feeling.” 気持ち悪い is often used to describe any kind of bad feeling, like feeling sick or sad. She blogs about fitness and sustainability at. We don’t have a term like this in English! Required fields are marked *. In the slang language, “slang words” are used to show a friendly manner in close relationships, especially among young people. If you want a greeting closest to “What’s up, dude?” or “Yo, man!”… Well, this is it. When it comes to Japanese text lingo, there’s a lot of combining English letters and Japanese characters into shorthand that makes no sense upon first glance. Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: casual talk, communicate in japanese, hidanotaka, hidanotaka.com, informal japanese, japanese slang, japanese vocabulary japanese slang words, learn japanese, spoken japanese, young people in japan, ひだのたか, 日本語, 日本語 スラング This one means “sly” or “sneaky,” but it can also be used as an exclamation like “You suck!” It expresses both disgust and admiration for someone’s sneaky behavior. 2. An example: ランチなう (ranchi nau). “Chou 超” is one of the most common slang words that you hear everywhere in Japan. Before you do, here’s my disclaimer: some of these Japanese slang words are NSFW. In every language, there are some words that you should use with heavy caution. !” or “For real? Another Twitterverse term, it means “favorite” and is used as a verb. Even more than that, depending on the region of Japan, you’ll hear quite a difference in tones, sentence endings, and various new slang only spoken in that region.