Moving to Japan? Landing a job in Tokyo, chasing a postgraduate degree, or maybe even following love across the Pacific.
While textbooks are necessary allies, and you’ve already aced the greetings, there’s a crucial aspect often overlooked: slang. These informal expressions are the pulse of everyday conversations in Japan.
Slangs give you a genuine taste of how locals, especially the younger generation, communicate in their daily routines.
In this article, we’ve listed 35 essential slang words to transform you from a textbook learner to someone who can navigate conversations, understand jokes, and truly feel at home in Japan.
Let’s dive into it.
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These informal words and phrases are the lifeblood of everyday conversations. They’re the secret sauce separating tourists from residents, the key to understanding jokes on the fly and following conversations easily.
Imagine hanging out with friends, effortlessly tossing around phrases that make you sound like a local.
Slang isn’t just about trendy words; it’s about connecting with people on a more personal level, sharing a laugh, and truly feeling integrated into Japanese youth culture.
But learning slang goes beyond social currency. It’s a window into Japanese culture. Slang reflects current trends, interests, and humor.
It demonstrates that you’re not just a visitor, but someone who wants to understand and learn the culture at its core.
Plenty of resources are available to help you learn slang alongside your formal studies. Japanese tutors at AmazingTalker can expose you to everyday slang in a natural context.
So, are you ready to sound like a local? Here are 35 different slangs that can be helpful:
This is a pretty common insult, so best used with close friends or when playfully teasing someone. Avoid it in formal settings or with people you don’t know well.
This is casual and friendly. You can use it when chatting with friends or someone you’re comfortable being frank with. Not ideal for super formal situations.
You can use it with friends or when talking about relaxing with people you know well.
This is a casual intensifier. You can use it with friends or in informal writing. Not appropriate for formal situations.
This phrase can be used with friends to express surprise or pause the conversation for a beat.
Use it with friends or when talking about your close circle. Not for formal settings.
This is a general way to say “no” or “not allowed” in a casual setting. You can use it with friends or family.
When talking about something uncool in a casual setting, you can use this.
This is a casual way to offer condolences or encouragement, so use it with friends or acquaintances.
This can be positive or negative depending on context. Use it with friends to describe something awesome or incredibly intense (good or bad).
This is a common all-purpose cheer, so you can use it with friends, family, or even acquaintances in a supportive way.
This is a very casual internet term, so use it with friends online or in casual conversation about using Google.
For example, you might say “ちょっとググってみようかな？” (Chotto gugutte miyou kana?) to mean “Let me Google that.”
You can use it with friends or acquaintances to describe being really into something.
For example, you could say ‘最近、ヨガにハマってるんだ！(Saikin, yoga ni haまっ てるんだ！)’ which means ‘Lately, I’ve been really into yoga!'”
This is a casual way to say “really” or “true”.
This is a casual way to describe a good vibe or atmosphere. So, you can use it with friends or acquaintances.
This is a strong word for something gross, so use it sparingly and only with close friends.
This is a lighthearted and descriptive term. You can use it with friends or family to describe something sparkly.
This describes anger, so use it cautiously, even with friends. Avoid it if you don’t want to seem confrontational.
This is a casual intensifier for emphasis, so use it with friends or in informal writing.
For example, when you want to emphasize something, you might say “マジ卍！” (Maji manji!) to mean “Seriously!” or “For real!”
When talking about someone who’s popular in a casual setting, you can use this slang.
This describes irritation, so use it cautiously, even with friends, as it can come across as passive-aggressive.
This is a casual term for hitting on someone, so use it with friends or when talking about the bar scene in a casual way. Not for polite conversation.
This is a very casual internet term. You can use it with friends online to indicate you’re doing something “right now.”
You can use it with friends or in informal online settings. This is a very casual term for a party animal.
This is a casual term for slacking off, so use it with friends (maybe not the ones you’re slacking off from!). Not for work or school.
It is a casual way to agree with someone, so use it with friends in informal settings.
This is a casual abbreviation for Starbucks. You can use it in a casual setting.
This is a playful and teasing way to admit fault or act sheepish, so use it with close friends or significant others.
This one, you can with everyone. It is a general term for goosebumps.
This describes something funny and it is used with friends or in casual conversation.
This is a blunt way to say something is noisy or annoying, so use it sparingly and only with close friends or family when you’re comfortable teasing them.
Similar to urusai, this describes something annoying but can be even more irritating. Use it with caution, even with friends.
This is a casual way to say “I don’t understand”. For example, you might say “何それ？わかんない！” (Nani sore? Wakannai!) to mean “What is that? I don’t understand!”
This is internet slang for “lol” (laughing out loud), so limit it to online chats or informal texting with friends.
This is a versatile word that can mean anything from “dangerous” to “awesome” depending on context. Use it with friends, but be aware of the double meaning.
This is a casual internet term for “username”. It is only used in the online setting.
This is a harsh insult meaning “weakling” or “loser”. You need to be very careful while using this one.
So, you’ve packed your bags, booked your flight, and started brushing up on your Japanese. But to truly thrive in Japan, you need to venture beyond the textbook.
Our list of 35 essential slang words is your key to unlocking deeper conversations, understanding Japanese humor, and feeling like a true local.
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