- やばい can mean terrible or amazing, depending on context.
- まじ = seriously, めっちゃ = super, very.
- Slang is for friends only. Never use it at work or with strangers.
- Some slang is rude (うざい, きもい). Understand it, don’t use it.
The essentials
- やばいyabaicrazy / awesome / terribleOriginally “dangerous”. Now covers any strong reaction: このラーメン、やばい！ (This ramen is insane!).
- まじmajiseriously, really
- まじで？maji de?Seriously?!
- めっちゃmecchasuper, really (very)Originally from western Japan, now everywhere: めっちゃおいしい.
- すげーsugēawesome!Casual, often male form of すごい.
- うけるukeruthat’s hilarious
Feelings and vibes
- エモいemoiemotional, nostalgic, touchingFrom English “emotional”.
- ガチgachifor real, hardcoreガチで = seriously, for real.
- ぴえんpienboo-hoo, sad (cute)Online slang imitating a whimper.
- しんどいshindoiexhausting, tough
- だるいdaruican’t be bothered, sluggish
- ムカつくmukatsukuannoying, it pisses me off
People and relationships
- イケメンikemenhandsome guy
- リア充riajūsomeone with a fulfilling real lifeOften teasingly, about people in happy relationships.
- ドタキャンdotakyancancelling at the last minute
- ググるguguruto google something
Casual contractions you’ll hear
| Casual | Standard | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| っす | です | Casual polite, often between younger men and their seniors |
| じゃん | じゃないか | isn’t it! / you see! |
| ってか | というか | I mean… / rather |
| 〜ちゃう | 〜てしまう | end up doing / do completely |
Understand, but don’t use
These are common in anime and among friends, but can easily offend:
- うざい (uzai): annoying, irritating. Rude when said about someone.
- きもい (kimoi): gross, creepy. Hurtful.
- てめえ (temē) / きさま (kisama): aggressive ways to say you.
Internet and texting slang
- ｗｗｗwarawaralol (from 笑う, to laugh)Also written 草 (grass), because www looks like grass.
- りょryook, got it (from りょうかい)
- おつotsugood job / thanks (from おつかれさま)
- あざすazasuthx (from ありがとうございます)
- それなsore naexactly, so true
Messaging apps are where slang changes fastest. If a Japanese friend writes りょ or それな, you can reply in kind, but stick to normal Japanese with anyone you don’t know well.
Slang from Kansai
A lot of casual Japanese comes from the Kansai dialect of Osaka and Kyoto, spread by comedians on TV:
| Kansai | Standard | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| めっちゃ | とても | very |
| あかん | だめ | no good, not allowed |
| ほんま | ほんとう | really |
| なんでやねん | なんでだよ | why?! / come on! (comedy retort) |
| おおきに | ありがとう | thanks |
How to learn slang safely
- Learn to understand first, use later. Recognising slang in shows and chats is useful long before you need to say it.
- Copy your friends. Use the words your Japanese friends use with you, in the same situations.
- Watch the age gap. Slang from teens can sound odd from adults, and older slang can sound dated.
- Keep polite Japanese as your base. Our basic phrases and greetings work everywhere.
A friend tries your cooking and says やばい！. They probably mean:
“Seriously?!”
Where should you avoid slang?
Frequently asked questions
What does yabai mean in Japanese?
やばい (yabai) originally means dangerous or bad, but in casual speech it expresses any strong reaction: amazing, crazy, or terrible, depending on context.
What does maji mean?
まじ (maji) means 'seriously' or 'really'. まじで？ is a common casual way to say 'Seriously?!'.
Is it okay to use Japanese slang?
Only with friends in casual situations. With strangers, teachers, colleagues or customers, slang sounds disrespectful.
What does www mean in Japanese texts?
ｗ or ｗｗｗ comes from 笑う (warau, to laugh) and means 'lol'. Because many w's look like grass, people also write 草 (kusa, grass) for the same meaning.