Japanese Slang

BURU HAIRU

An expression used when things aren't going right

DAI

Colloquial for DESU KA example: Nan dai? = Nan desu ka?

DO-

Colloquial prefix, used to add emphasis to words such as "total" or "absolute" such as

GE

Exclamation meaning "yuck!" or "gross!"

DASAI

Exclamation used to express disgust about something totally uncool.

CHE

Exclamation used to express disgust.

HAMATTA

Expresses that something was funny. (

ACHI KAERE

Impolite phrase meaning "go back over there, far away". This is a very direct way of saying "go away!".

ACHI ITTE

Impolite phrase meaning "go over there!" which of course means that you should "go away!"

AHO

Impolite term meaning "********".

BOKE

Impolite term meaning "knuckle head"

AITSU

Impolite term meaning "that thing over there" or "that dude over there".

BETSU NI

Informal phrase meaning "nothing" or "nothing really". Normally used in response to a question.

DOSHITA NO

Informal phrase which can mean "what's wrong?" or "what happened?" and is mostly used to express concern. The NO at the end doesn't really change the meaning much, and is used in this case for emphasis.

DOSHITA

Informal phrase which can mean "what's wrong?" or "what?" or is used to get a response, like when you say "well...?"

DORE DORE

Informal phrase which loosely translates to, "Hello, what do we have here?" or "What's this?"

DO KASHITEIRU

Informal phrase which means "Are you o.k.? (you seem kinda out of it)"

AH SO

Informal phrase which means "Oh, I see...", but I would avoid using this phrase as a "gaijin" because it may have been over-used by American movie studios as a stereo-typical Japanese thing to say. I think that I have read somewhere that it may even be offensive to some Japanese people.

GO KURO

Informal phrase which means "good work" or "thanks for doing something that inconveniences you" and is short for the more polite GO KUROSAMA DESHITA.

DATTARA

Informal phrase which means "if that is so..." and can be used as in "so?"

DO ITTA

Informal phrase which means "move out of the way" but is basically a way of saying "move it!"

GUZU GUZU

Informal phrase which refers to something or someone that is lazy, or an action which happens slowly and lazily.

GYOGI GA WARUI

Informal phrase which simply means "bad manners"

KI GA TSUITA

Informal phrase which translates as "to be awake" or "to be conscious" and also means "I just noticed something"

BAITO

Informal slang for someone who is working part-time.

AKUMABITO

Informal term for "demon" or "spirit". The first "A" is not clearly pronounced. "Akuma" means devil or demon, and "bito" refers to a person (HITO). The "H" in HITO changes to "B" after certain vowels.

ABAYO

Informal term for "good bye", this is not considered a polite way to say goodbye.

BISHONEN

Informal term for "hunk" or "cute guy"

BOZU

Informal term for "kid" and is kind of like saying "Hey squirt!".

DORO DORO

Informal term for something that is gooey or muddy, or something that is confusing. Consider the abstract concept of "muddiness". Also is used to imply that someone is not getting along with someone else.

BIJIN

Informal term meaning "beautiful woman" but actually is closer to "hot babe!"

GAKI

Informal term meaning "brat" or "young punk"

AMAI

Informal term meaning "gullible" or "someone who is a real sap".

APO

Informal term referring to "an appointment for a date".

DE

Informal term that can have many meanings, but the slang usage is at the beginning of a sentence. When a person starts a sentence with DE, it is more of an interjection, and it's meaning is more like "So....(anyway)..."

CHODAI

Informal term that is very close to KURE YO! and means "Please do this for me".

DOKE

Informal term used to say "get out of the way!". It is a slang version of the word DOKERU.

CHOBERIBA

Informal term which means "extremely bad". CHO means "extremely", and the BERIBA actually comes from and sounds like "very bad".

CHOBERIGU

Informal term which means "extremely good". CHO means "extremely", and the BERIGU actually comes from and sounds like "very good". This may now be heard as CHOBEGU.

GARUTACHI

Informal term which roughly means "partners in crime" and refers to real hoodlums.

DAME

Informal term with many meanings. I can mean "no" or "it's bad" or "it's not possible" or "you can't do that" etc. etc. It is word that signals a "no" answer.

CHAU CHAU

Informal way of saying CHIGAIMASU which means "wrong" or "it's something different (from what you think)". This phrase comes from the Osaka dialect. Can be said once or twice depending on the tone or emphasis.

BAKA

Informal word meaning "stupid". This has to be the most commonly used insult in Japan. Being called stupid is quite serious to the Japanese.

DOSE

Informal word used to express "Anyway......." in a somewhat negative way, or used in a sentence to express doubt like when you user the word "afterall".

ANO

Informal word which can mean "that thing over there", but the slang meaning is more commonly "Uhhh..." or "Well..." and is used a lot in colloquial speech at the start of a sentence or between sentences just like we use "Uhhh.." to slow down the conversation so we can think.

BORO BORO

Informal, refers to something that is "old" or "worn out". Also see BOROI.

CHOTTO MATTE

Informalphrase which means "wait a minute" or "excuse me a bit" and can vary according to the tone you use all the way up to "wait a damn minute!".

ETO

Interjection that is similar to "uhhh.." or "errr..." and can imply a phrase such as, "well, actually...."

FAITO !!!

Loan word which refers to a fighting spirit, kinda like GAMBATTE and is said when you want to express that you must keep on going and hang in there.

JOUZU DESU NE !

OK, LISTEN CAREFULLY This is how you say, "My, you are pretty good at (English or Japanese)".......but if Japanese people say this to you, DONT LET IT GO TO YOUR HEAD OK? They are just being polite.

HAI

OK, this DOES NOT MEAN "yes", it means "I am paying attention, and I understand what you are saying"

CHARA CHARA

Slang for something that is too flashy in terms of style, or refers to person who blatantly flirts.

BECHA BECHA

Slang used to describe a "chatterbox" or a really noisey converation (see PECHA KUCHA)

DABO

Slang, insult referring to your intelligence, like "complete idiot"

BONKURA

Slang, insult, referring to your intelligence such as, "dimwit" or "*******"

BUSAIKU

Slang, insult, refers to someone's appearance such as, "pretty damn UGLY!!!"

AHONDARA

Slang, insult, related to "aho" but much stronger.

CHINKE

Slang, refers to something "cheap" and of "poor quality".

BOROI

Slang, refers to something that is "old" or "worn out". Also see BORO BORO . Also, Slang for "making easy money" or "making money dishonestly" .

ABUNE

Slang, this is an exclamation take from "abunai". It is used as in, "That was close!!!"

GUZU

Somebody who dawdles, wastes times, or goofs off.

-DONO

Suffix added to names like "-san" to make it more polite, but "-dono" is more like "Mr." In TENCHI MUYO, Washu addresses Tenchi as "Tenchi Dono" very often and she is just being extra respectul to Tenchi by calling him "Mr. Tenchi".

II JA NAI BETSU NI

This expression is used to say "It's o.k.! I don't mind!" but if you use it when someone is being nosey, then it means, "It's none of your business anyhow!!!"

GAMAN SHIRO

This is a simple way of saying , "..Just deal with it"

JUNBI O.K. DESU

This is a very modern way of saying, "I'm ready!" And it really does use O.K. as in English.

CHOTTO II ?

This is how you ask, "Can I ask you something quick?" this is a friendly way, and is best used with people you know already.

CHOUSHI HA DOU DESU KA?

This is how you say : " How are you (feeling) ? "

HE ?

This is how you say, "Huh?" or "WTF?"

DOUKA

This is used at the beginning of a request. It is close in translation to "Would you please....."

II YO

This means, "It's OK, don't worry about it !"

HETCHI

This refers to anything or anyone that is perverted

IKINARI

This word means "suddenly" or "without notice" and is used to say that something was unexpected and usually not welcome. For instance, if somebody visits you without an invitation, that is the kind of feeling it expresses.

FUKERU

To play hooky from school, or something. This word is very similar to saboru

IKEMEN

Translates into something like "very handsome man" or "hot guy"

HEKI

informal expression that loosely translates as "No problem!" "It's ok!" "Forget about it!" ex: Daijobu desu ka? Heki da yo! (Is it a problem? No problem, it's ok!!)

II KAGEN NI SHINASAI

loosely translates as "don't be like that!" or "don't behave like that!" and is usually used to scold kids.

II DARO

sounds like EE DAH ROH. Informal phrase meaning "it's a deal" or "it's o.k. with me" or "it's probably o.k.".

IJO NASHI

sounds like EE JOE NIGH SHH. Informal phrase meaning "functioning normally". This is used a lot in futuristic anime in regards to equipment working normally. Literally means "without abnormallity" and replaces the English version "all systems normal".

II KAMO SHIRENAI

sounds like EE KAH MO SHEE NIGH. Colloquial phrase that is used to say that something is nice, good, or cool. II KAMO is used by itself alot to simply say something is cool. "Shirenai" is literally translated as "I dunno..." so it follows the polite way of expressing your thoughts by ending the phrase with an expression of doubt.

IKENAI

sounds like EE KEH NIGH. Informal term meaning "something's wrong" or "it's no good" or "you can't do that" or "it wont work". It is very close to the word DAME and is short for IKEMASEN.

IKU ZE

sounds like EE KU ZEH. Informal phrase meaning "let's go!"

IYA

sounds like EE YAH. Exclamation meaning "no way!" or something like "that's terrible!"

II ZO

sounds like EEE ZO. Informal phrase meaning "ready!" or "let's go for it!"

JIGEN

sounds like GEE GHEN. Standard word for "dimension". It is commonly heard in anime when referring to an interdimensional tunnel which is called "JIGEN NO TUNERU"

HASSHIN

sounds like HA SHEEN. Exclamation meaning "launch!".

HANASHI ARU

sounds like HAH NAH SHEE AH RU. Informal phrase which means "I need to speak to you" although literally it means "a conversation exists".

HARA HETA

sounds like HAH REH TAH. Informal phrase which means "To be hungry" and literally translates as "My/your belly is in a bad condition".

HAZUI

sounds like HAH ZEE Informal term for "embarrassing" and is short for HAZUKASHII

HIDOI

sounds like HEE DEH. Informal term meaning "terrible" or "horrible" or "grotesque"

HORA

sounds like HO RAH. Informal term which kinda means "hey!" or "see?!" when you want to get somebody's attention. Related to KORA

ICHIO

sounds like ITCHY OH. Informal term meaning "anyway...." or "well...." and can replace a direct answer with the meaning "Uhhh...kinda sorta...".

JA

sounds like JAH. Informal exclamation which can mean "well..." or "see ya!" or "umm..." or can be used to stall for time when you don't want to answer a difficult question. It is a very handy word and has many more meanings. It is also a very short way of saying "bye!"

KAN KAN

sounds like KAHN KAHN. Slang which means "pissed off" or "going ballistic" or "enraged"

KEITA

sounds like KAY TAH. Informal term for "cell phone"

KIMOCHI WARUI

sounds like KEE MO CHEE WAH RU EE. Informal phrase which means "feel sick" but is more often used to say "yuck!" or "gross!". I think that if you say "Kimochi GA warui" then it refers to how sick you feel.

KIMOI

sounds like KEE MOY. Informal term for " feel sick" or "makes me feel sick", it is short for KIMOCHI WARUI.

KI NI SHINAI

sounds like KEY KNEE SHEEN EYE. Informal phrase meaning "don't worry" or "no problem";" ki ni suru"means, "To worry".

KAI

sounds like KIGH. Colloquial for DESU KA example: Nan kai? = Nan desu ka?

GOCHA GOCHA SURU

this means "to be confused"

ARE !

used for exclamation such as : "Oh my !" "WTF?" etc.