ヤンキー
Yankiー
やんきー
Despite sounding like the English word 'Yankee,' this has absolutely nothing to do with Americans or baseball. In Japanese, ヤンキー refers to the stereotypical juvenile delinquent — think pompadour hairstyles, modified school uniforms, motorcycles, and a bad attitude. The image peaked in the 1980s-90s, but the term lives on, especially as 元ヤン (moto-yan, 'ex-delinquent'). Yankee manga is a massive genre in Japan, with series like Tokyo Revengers keeping the archetype alive.
Examples
あの人、見た目ヤンキーっぽいけど実はめっちゃ優しい
That guy looks like a total yankee — a delinquent — but he's actually super nice.
Talking about someone's first impression
お母さん、昔ヤンキーだったらしいよ
Apparently my mom was a yankee — a real delinquent — back in the day.
Family storytelling
ヤンキー漫画って独特の世界観があるよね
Yankee (delinquent) manga really do have their own unique vibe.
元ヤンの人って意外と面倒見がいい
Ex-yankees — former delinquents — are surprisingly good at looking out for people.