Japanese Internet & Youth Slang

The casual, fast-moving vocabulary you'll see in comments, texts, and hear from younger speakers. Most of this is too casual for polite conversation, so save it for friends, not your boss or teacher.

Internet Slang Everyday Youth Slang

Internet Slang

"lol"
Literally "grass." Comes from a string of "w" (from warau, to laugh) looking like blades of grass when repeated.
"lol lol lol"
A row of "w" characters, the original joke that "kusa" grew out of.
"kk, got it"
An ultra-short abbreviation of ryoukai (了解, "understood"), used for quick replies while texting.
"precious, sacred"
Fan culture slang for something so wholesome or moving it feels almost holy.
"exactly, right?!"
An enthusiastic way to agree with what someone just said.
"godlike, amazing"
Calling something "god-tier," meaning it's exceptionally good.
"emotional, moving"
A bittersweet, nostalgic feeling, borrowed from the English word "emotional."
"over, played out"
Short for owatta kontentsu (終わったコンテンツ), meaning a trend or thing that's no longer relevant.

Everyday Youth Slang

"there's a chance"
From English "one chance," meaning there's a slim possibility something could happen.
"I'm done for"
Borrowed from shogi and chess, where it means "checkmate." Used for any hopeless situation.
"for real, seriously"
Short for honki (本気), meaning genuinely serious, not joking around.
"exhausting, rough"
Used broadly for anything physically or mentally draining.
"party person"
From English "party people," someone who loves going out and partying.
"sad, about to cry"
A cute, exaggerated way of expressing sadness, popular in online slang.
"extrovert / introvert"
Slang contrasting an outgoing, "sunny" personality with a shy, "shadow" one.
"ugh, annoying"
Short for darui, meaning something is a hassle or too much effort.