Categories
Core Slang
44 entries
Internet / SNS
26 entries
Youth Slang
18 entries
Anime & Manga
1 entries
Dialect
1 entries
All Entries (Recently Updated)
See all 79 entries →1
ンゴ んご
A suffix from 2ch/5ch forums — add "-ngo" to sentences for self-deprecating humor
Casual
2
沼 ぬま
A bottomless obsession you can't escape — "falling into the swamp"
Casual
3
ワンオペ わんおぺ
Handling everything solo — short for 'one-man operation.' Originally about understaffed restaurants, now widely used for solo parenting and overwork.
Casual
4
鬼 おに
A prefix meaning 'insanely' or 'crazy' — oni-strong, oni-cute, oni-hard.
Casual
5
推し おし
Your favorite person/thing you stan — from idol culture, now used for everything
Casual
6
お疲れ様です おつかれさまです
The all-purpose workplace greeting — works as "hello," "goodbye," and everything in between
Polite OK
7
オワコン おわこん
Short for 'owatta kontentsu' (finished content) — something or someone past their prime.
Casual
8
パリピ ぱりぴ
Casual
9
ぴえん ぴえん
A cute way to say "I am sad" / "I wanna cry" — huge in 2019, now a bit dated
Casual
10
ポンコツ ぽんこつ
A go-to casual word for anything (or anyone) broken-down, useless, or barely functional — often used self-deprecatingly, sometimes even affectionately.
Casual
Sponsored
Browse by Romaji
Columns
See all →2026-05-04
Slang in Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo — Part 1: 「アリだ」
Usami's casual 'ari da' in Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo — what this little phrase actually means, and why Japanese people lean on vague approval like this.
2026-03-09
What's the Japanese Equivalent of 'What's Up'?
Why there's no direct Japanese translation for 'what's up' — and what people actually say instead.
2026-03-05
How Natural Do Jujutsu Kaisen Character Names Sound to Native Japanese Speakers?
A native Japanese speaker breaks down whether the names in Jujutsu Kaisen are common, rare, or completely made up.
What is YabaiDict?
A guide to real Japanese — slang, casual expressions, and everyday phrases that textbooks won't teach you. Every entry is written and reviewed by native speakers living in Japan, not translated by someone who studied Japanese in college.
Most "Japanese slang" content online is either outdated lists or AI-generated fluff with zero nuance. We keep this dictionary current, honest, and actually useful. If a word sounds dated, makes you look like an old man, or will get you weird looks — we'll tell you.
Made in Japan
Written by native speakers who live and breathe this language every day
Actually current
Updated regularly with new slang as it emerges
Real context
When to use it, when not to, and how it actually sounds