日Nihongo Slang
The living guide to Japanese slang

Japanese, as
people actually
say it.

Decode the slang, memes, and internet language you meet in the wild. Learn what it means, how it feels, and when it fits.

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kusa · “LOL”

Why does the Japanese word for grass mean laughing?

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Slang, with the nuance intact.

28 carefully explained entries

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sore na

Exactly. / I know, right.

Chat & reactions·Easy
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kusa

LOL; that’s hilarious.

Chat & reactions·Easy
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pien

*sniff*; feeling sad, moved, or adorably upset.

Feelings·Easy
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emoi

Emotional; evocative; giving you a feeling.

Feelings·Easy
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wanchan

There’s a chance; maybe it could happen.

Chat & reactions·Easy
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numa

A rabbit hole you fall into; an obsession you can’t easily leave.

Fandom & hobbies·Intermediate
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marumaru kaiwai

The ___ scene / community / corner of the internet.

Fandom & hobbies·Intermediate
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ri

Got it; okay.

Chat & reactions·Easy
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oshi

Your favorite; someone or something you actively support.

Fandom & hobbies·Intermediate
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toutoi

Precious; so lovely or moving it overwhelms you.

Feelings·Intermediate
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yabai

Amazing; terrible; intense; “this is bad.”

Chat & reactions·Easy
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tsunda

I’m stuck; I’m done for; there is no way out.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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meroi

So attractive that it makes you melt; captivating or swoon-worthy.

Feelings·Intermediate
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sugite metsu

So ___ that I’m done for; an exaggerated reaction to something overwhelming.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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bakuretsu

A playful burst of affection or excitement; an emphatic, positive reaction.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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hito no kokoro toka nainka

“Do you have no heart?” — a dramatic, often joking callout for something ruthless or wildly unfair.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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tagosaku kobun

A deadpan meme template: state what you will do, then give a blunt or oddly forceful reason.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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Ino Tadataka kaiwai

A walking-distance meme: jokingly liken a long walk or huge travel distance to Inō Tadataka’s surveying journeys.

Fandom & hobbies·Intermediate
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dopagaki

A harsh, often ironic label for someone seen as constantly chasing high-stimulation media.

Chat & reactions·Advanced
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serokatsu

A “serotonin activity”: a calming activity meant to help you reset and feel restored.

Feelings·Intermediate
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furo kyanseru kaiwai

The “skip-the-bath crowd”; people jokingly describing skipping a bath or shower.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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marumaru kyanseru

A joking way to say you are skipping or opting out of an expected action.

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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ehho ehho

Huff, huff. / I have to tell everyone…

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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gyun

A sudden, intense heart-flutter; “I’m swooning.”

Feelings·Intermediate
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kao nai

I’m mortified. / I can’t even face anyone.

Feelings·Intermediate
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shabai

Lame; dull; not it (context-dependent).

Chat & reactions·Intermediate
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biju

Someone’s overall look, styling, or visual impression.

Fandom & hobbies·Intermediate
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dopai

A rush of intense excitement or pleasure; “such a dopamine hit.”

Chat & reactions·Advanced
From reading to speaking

Understand the vibe. Then use it.

Slang makes more sense when you hear it and try it in conversation. Nihongo Slang is built to help you cross that gap.

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