Japanese Slang Trends: September 2026 High School Survey
This is one September snapshot, not a national ranking or a count of online posts. Shibuya Trend Research surveyed 200 high school students aged 15–18 online from September 15–21, 2026. Respondents could select multiple answers. In its “words currently trending” question, メロい received 20.3%, ドパガキ 14.0%, and シャバい 2.3%. These percentages describe this sample’s answers; they do not establish how often people used each term or how search demand changed. The report was published October 2, after the survey period.
Signals reflect the named sources, methods, samples, and observation dates below. They do not represent all Japanese speakers or total search demand. Each entry has been reviewed before publication.
メロい ↗
So attractive that it makes you melt; captivating or swoon-worthy.
メロい led this survey’s “words currently trending” question with 20.3% of responses. The report says students used it more broadly than for looks alone, praising someone’s actions, atmosphere, or appealing personality too. That makes it useful to recognize in casual youth conversation, but the result is a multiple-answer survey of 200 high school students, not a measure of all Japanese speakers or monthly search volume.
Multiple-answer online survey fielded September 15–21 among 200 high school students aged 15–18; reported share selecting the word: Ranked #1 at 20.3%; report says use extends beyond appearance to actions, atmosphere, and personality observed 2026-09-15 · source ↗
ドパガキ ↗
A harsh, often ironic label for someone seen as constantly chasing high-stimulation media.
ドパガキ ranked second at 14.0%. Shibuya Trend Research describes it as a self-mocking or teasing label connected to getting absorbed in short videos, social media, or games that offer quick stimulation. Its student comments describe friends jokingly calling one another the term, so tone and relationship matter. The figure comes from one small, age-specific multiple-answer survey and should not be read as a broad usage rate.
Multiple-answer online survey fielded September 15–21 among 200 high school students aged 15–18; reported share selecting the word: Ranked #2 at 14.0%; report describes playful self-mocking use around short videos, social media, and games observed 2026-09-15 · source ↗
シャバい ↗
Lame; dull; not it (context-dependent).
シャバい appeared in sixth place, tied at 2.3%. Its presence in the same survey provides a dated signal that some respondents recognized it as a current slang candidate, though the report gives no detailed usage explanation for this result. The ranking is based on a multiple-answer question answered by 200 high school students; it cannot show whether the term is newly rising, widely used outside that group, or attracting search traffic.
Multiple-answer online survey fielded September 15–21 among 200 high school students aged 15–18; reported share selecting the word: Tied at #6 with ワッサー at 2.3% observed 2026-09-15 · source ↗
ドパい ↗
A rush of intense excitement or pleasure; “such a dopamine hit.”
The survey separately named ドパい as one of ten “next trend” candidates, describing it as a derivative of ドパガキ for peak excitement or an intensely enjoyable experience. This is a forecast from respondents’ comments, not a measured rank or share in the current-words question. We have added a usage guide while its reach is still uncertain; watch for more examples before treating it as established slang.
Next-trend candidates reported from the September 15–21 online survey of 200 high school students aged 15–18: Included among 10 next-trend candidates; no rank or response percentage was reported for ドパい observed 2026-09-21 · source ↗