What it means
ドパガキ blends ドーパミン (dopamine) and ガキ (kid, often insulting). Online it mocks someone—often a young person—who seems unable to stop seeking fast, highly stimulating media such as short videos. Some people use it self-deprecatingly. It is a judgmental internet label, not a medical diagnosis or a precise claim about someone’s brain.
How to use it
You may see it in social-media discussions about short videos, games, or attention. Because ガキ is insulting and the term can shame young people, avoid applying it to someone as a label. If quoting it, explain that it is slang and not a clinical term for addiction.
Examples in conversation
Where it comes from
The slang shortens ドーパミン (dopamine) and ガキ (kid). Baidu’s Simeji survey placed ドパガキ eighth in its 2026 first-half “words” category. A September 2026 Shueisha Online feature also documents the label in discussions about young people and short-form media. The term uses “dopamine” loosely; it should not be read as a medical diagnosis or a scientific explanation of media habits.
Related slang
Further reading
We use references to check meaning and background. Examples on this page are original.