60 More Japanese Youth Slang Words: Social Media, School and Group Chat Talk

💡 A loud cheer for high-energy moments, like a toast or a win. People also use it to tease the noisy party crowd, calling them uei-kei (the woo type). Say it with friends, not in quiet places.

💡 -sugiru normally means "too much" in a negative way, but young people cut it to -sugi and use it as pure praise: oishisugi, yasashisugi. The tone tells you if it is a compliment or a complaint.

💡 Made by turning kami (god) into a verb. It became a national buzzword in 2016 after a baseball manager used it to praise a player on a hot streak. People still understand it, but it now sounds a little dated to many teens.

💡 Geki means "intense." Some combinations are standard, like gekikara (super spicy) on menus, while others such as gekiuma or gekiyasu sound casual. Handy and easy to understand for people of all ages.

💡 Gyaku ni means "the other way around," but in casual talk it often just signals a surprising point of view. Some people say it so often that it becomes a verbal habit and friends tease them for it.

💡 Schools often teach that zenzen must go with a negative (zenzen wakaranai, "not at all"). In everyday speech, people also use it with positive words to mean "totally." Some older speakers find this sloppy, though uses like this appear in older writing too.

💡 Short for birushi reberu de sonzai suru, roughly "exists at a particle level." It started online and is mostly typed as a joke. Many people have never heard it, so treat it as niche internet talk.

💡 Ken means "matter" or "case," like in a business report. Ending a sentence with it makes a small everyday event sound like an official news item. It is common in social media posts and video titles.

💡 From the idea of getting on top of an opponent. It describes bragging that puts others down, about grades, money, kids, or anything else. Adults use it too, and it is almost always a criticism, so be careful calling someone out with it.

💡 Made as the opposite of jidori (selfie). You will hear it when friends take turns photographing each other at cafes and tourist spots.

💡 Ageru (to raise) is the normal verb for posting or uploading. Stories are the short posts that disappear after a day. Asking "sutori ni agete ii?" (Can I post this?) before posting a friend's face is good manners.

💡 An internet word ending, usually attached to small misfortunes to make them sound funny. It is typed far more than spoken. Using it in speech is a deliberate joke, and some people find it a bit silly.

💡 The basic meaning is "to fit into" or "to get stuck," like a foot in mud. For hobbies it means you can't stop. People of all ages use it, so it's a safe word to learn early.

💡 From tsubo ni hairu, "to hit the spot," as in a pressure point. It is used when something gets you laughing more than it probably should. The longer form tsubo ni hairu is understood by everyone.

💡 Kako is a standard word for "processing," but young people use it for beauty filters and photo apps. Mukako (no filter) is a common tag. Commenting that someone's photo is edited can come across as rude.

💡 Short for reberu ga chigau, "the level is different." It is praise for someone far better than everyone else. Common among teens and people in their twenties.

💡 Setsu means "theory," and TV variety shows made "...setsu" a popular format for testing everyday ideas. In chats it softens an opinion so it sounds like a fun guess, not a claim.

💡 A quick comeback in the style of comedy tsukkomi, pointing out something ridiculous. Between friends it's playful, but with a sharp tone it can sound annoyed. Don't use it with older people.

💡 A rough casual form of ja nai?. Once mostly heard from young men, it is now used by many young people of any gender. It can sound blunt, so avoid it with anyone you should be polite to.

💡 A classic trap for learners: kawaikunai? with rising intonation means "Isn't it cute?", not "It isn't cute." The rising voice at the end turns it into a request for agreement.

💡 Used much like English "like" when retelling what someone said or felt. Ending a sentence with mitai na makes it vaguer and more relaxed. Too much of it can sound unsure of yourself.

💡 Short for imi fumei (meaning unclear). Fine among friends, but saying it about someone's idea to their face sounds dismissive.

💡 A long-lived slang word that people of many ages understand. The mix dasakawaii (lame but cute) is a compliment. Calling someone's clothes or hobby dasai directly can hurt, so keep it for playful moments.

💡 Itai normally means "it hurts." Written in katakana, it often means someone's behavior is painful to watch. Saying it about yourself is fine and funny; saying it about someone else is harsh.

💡 A playful twist on suki (like). It spread from online fan talk and is mainly typed in comments and chats. Sukosuko no suko means "I really, really love it."

💡 Short for the English "reschedule." It began as office jargon and is now used by students too. It's a softer way to move plans than a last-minute cancellation.

💡 Short for "a, naruhodo ne." It's a quick reaction that shows you understood. Heard mostly among teens, and it can sound a bit uninterested if it's the only thing you say.

💡 Short for honto ni sore (really, that). A stronger cousin of sorena. Mostly used by teens and people in their twenties in chats and quick replies.

💡 Admits someone is right, often a little reluctantly or with a laugh. It became a popular online reply and is now common in speech among young people.

💡 Goiryoku is a real word for vocabulary skill. Fans jokingly say they've lost it when something is so amazing all they can say is "amazing." A self-deprecating, friendly phrase.

💡 Neru (sleep) plus ochiru (drop). Used when you nod off while texting, gaming, watching something, or on a call. A common apology the next morning.

💡 From the English "all," as in all night. Typical of college students who miss the last train and wait for the first one at karaoke or a family restaurant.

💡 From video games, where a cheat breaks the rules. As slang it is usually a compliment for someone who seems too talented. It does not accuse anyone of actual cheating.

💡 Short for "last boss" from games. People use it for the hardest part of anything, or jokingly for an intimidating person. Calling a real person the rasubosu to their face may not go over well.

💡 Short for kamatte chodai (please give me attention). Saying it about yourself is cute and playful. Calling someone else a kamacho can sound like a put-down.

💡 Short for sogo foro (mutual follow). Sogo-san is a friendly way to refer to an online mutual. The word sogo itself is ordinary Japanese for "mutual."

💡 A shortening of "follow back." Common on every social platform. Profiles that say foroba 100% promise to follow back anyone, though many people prefer to be more careful.

💡 Kagi means lock and aka is short for akaunto (account), named after the padlock icon. Many students keep a public account and a locked one for close friends.

💡 Sub account, as opposed to honaka (main account). People make them for hobbies, fan activities, or to keep friend groups separate. Very common among teens.

💡 From "air play," like playing air guitar. It started in gaming and now means acting like an expert without experience. It's an accusation, so it can start arguments.

💡 Niwaka means "sudden." Longtime fans sometimes use it to look down on newcomers, so calling someone else niwaka can sound snobbish. Calling yourself niwaka is a humble, friendly way to join the conversation.

💡 A psychology term that became an everyday word among young people. They talk about things that raise or lower it, from compliments to cute outfits. It is a normal word, not slang, but it is especially popular now.

💡 From yosaso (seems good). A light, casual verdict used when you haven't tried something yet. Adults use it too.

💡 A very common casual verb for fright or nerves. Bibiri means a scaredy-cat. It's slangy but understood by everyone.

💡 From kyodo fushin (suspicious behavior). It describes looking around nervously or stumbling over words. Using it about yourself is funny; about someone else it's a tease.

💡 Uzai (annoying) plus karamu (to get tangled up with someone). It describes friends who keep poking and teasing. Often said with a laugh among close friends.

💡 Literally "it happens, it happens." As a noun it means a relatable moment, like "student aru aru" or "Japan aru aru." People of all ages use it.

💡 Neta also means the topping on sushi. In casual speech it means material for a joke or story, and neta ni suru means turning something into a joke. Asking "neta?" checks whether someone is kidding.

💡 A joke name, since there is no real club. In Japan many students join after-school clubs, so saying you were in the kitakubu is a light, self-mocking way to say you weren't.

💡 From the English "loss." People attach it to the name of a show, character, or event that has ended. It is mostly about entertainment, and adults use it too.

💡 Showa (1926 to 1989) and Heisei (1989 to 2019) are Japanese era names. Young people who never lived through them enjoy the look of old coffee shops, candy, and early digital cameras. Heisei retoro is a newer term for 1990s and 2000s style.

💡 From hitori (alone) and karaoke. Going solo is common, and some karaoke places are set up for single customers. Nobody finds it strange.

💡 The shortest form of maji? (seriously?). It is almost only typed in chats. Saying it out loud sounds deliberately jokey.

💡 Attaches to nouns or verbs: kodomoppoi (childish), iku ppoi (seems like he's going). Young people add it everywhere to keep things vague. Standard enough that adults use it too.

💡 Based on a Kansai-style way of saying "I" and popular on online forums. It is used for comic effect, mostly in text. Don't use it as your normal word for "I."

💡 Short for "repeat," used about products, restaurants, or songs you keep coming back to. Ripi-kakutei (definitely buying again) is a common phrase in reviews.

💡 Meshi is a rougher word for meal than gohan. Once seen as a masculine word, it is now used by many young people. Say gohan with people you need to be polite to.

💡 Short for baito-saki, the place where you do your arubaito (part-time job). Very common among high school and college students. Friends made there are often called baito nakama.

💡 Soku (immediate) plus resu (response). Some people feel pressure to reply instantly in group chats, and others take hours. How fast is normal differs a lot from person to person.

💡 Short for sukurin shotto. Everyone under a certain age uses it, and many adults do too. Sharing screenshots of private chats without asking can upset people.