こんちは, Wassup, today we are going to be taking a look at the absolute essential Japanese slang you need to know to blend in, in Japan.
Every language involves a good bit of slang, Japanese is no different. Knowing the slang in Japanese will allow you to understand a wider range of more unconventional conversations and will be more likely to be the Japanese you hear on a day to day basis, especially in a social setting. We are going to have a look at some common Japanese slang phrases and find out what situations to use them in.
Contents
Essential Japanese slang スラング that everyone should know!
We will also provide you with a table with some more slang words so you can expand your vocabulary with a variety of different slang words.
こんちは Konchiwa – Hey!
The classic Konnichiwa is a well known Japanese word meaning good day or hello! Now you can slang this up if your feeling cool by simply dropping the “Ni” and using “Konchiwa”. If you’re I a rush that extra syllable could make all the difference.
キモい Kimoi – Disgusting
Kimoi” comes from “kimochi warui”, which means gross, horrible or disgusting. Kimoi is such a fun word to use and can be said in a variety of situations. If you saw something that looked gross to you, you could say “KIMOI”. Maybe a bugger that is hanging down from your friends’ nose. It can also be used to describe actions, perhaps if that friend started to pick his nose you could definitely use Kimoi.
KY – Doesn’t get it
KY is written with the English alphabet letters K and Y and stands for Kuuki wo Yomenai. This means “Can’t read the air” a bit like the tension in an awkward situation or telling if someone likes you or not. If you use KY towards someone you are basically telling them that they can’t ready the current situation and should pay more attention to the little things, read between the lines!
めっちゃMeccha – very
Meccha is a slang variation of the word “very”. It’s a really versatile word that can be used before most adjectives. However, it is considered to be very informal so try not to use it in formal situations, like at work or in class.
Example
“Meccha Osoi!”—So slow!
Shit, I’m late!
やばい Yabai – Shit!!
Shit, that’s awesome!
I think the best translation of the word Yabai is “Shit”, both in a good and bad way.
Both use the same word but with different feels. Yabai is the same and is an extremely popular piece of Japanese slang to describe something as both good and bad.
まじ Maji – Seriously
Maji means “seriously”. You can use this when you want to say “Really?” or “Seriously?”. It is an extremely popular slang word in Japanese and is used frequently.
ウケる Ukeru: Hilarious
UKERU! Means super funny or “hilarious” in Japanese. It’s a slang word to show your enjoyment. It’s a really cool word to use in Japanese. Ukeru also has various other meanings in Japanese such as “To Receive”, “To Undergo” and “To get”
| NG | エヌジー | No Good! Just like Dame, meaning it’s not okay or it’s no good. |
| Freeter | フリーター | Freeter comes from Freelancer and means exactly that. “Freelancer” |
| OL | オーエル | Office lady, describes a female Salaryman! |
| Arasa | アラサー | Slang for a woman who is around her thirties |
| Ahiru-guchi | アヒル口 | Pout or more literally duck lips! You all know that classic face when your pulling a selfie |
| Tarako-kuchibiru | タラコ唇 | Fish gap, the small gap between your lips! Just like a model |
| Torso | トルソー | The modern version of mannequin. Used to describe a torso for showing clothes in a store. |
| Rafu | ラフ | Slang for someone who is dressed casually |
| Dotakyan | ドタキャン | Slang for last second cancellation. How disappointing, right on the dot! |
| Riajuu | リア充 | To love the life you live in a way from the internet. Love your offline life. |
| Ishiki takai kei | 意識高い系 | Someone who wants to be appealing to other people |
| Mazakon | マザコン | Mother complex, loving your mother a little too much. Kimoi! |
| Nau | なう | Now! Literally means “Now” |
So now you know some of the most popular slang words in Japanese you should go out and start using them. Remember to only use these with your friends and close family first as you get more used to their usage.
You don’t want to offend anyone!
Thanks for reading guys and we hope you have enjoyed today’s online Japanese lesson.
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