Gyaru language is commonly referred to as youth slang, and it continues to evolve year by year. And new words appear one after another.
Speaking of recent gyaru language, "kyundesu," which expresses a state of excitement in the chest, and "kyapai," which means overcapacity, were ranked in the gyaru buzzword award.
So, what kind of gyaru words were popular in the past?
In this article, we have selected some gyaru language that were popular from around 2000 to 2010 and introduce their meanings and usage.
Torima
Starting to be used around the mid-2000s, "ToriMa" is a representative slang primarily used by "gyaru" and "gyaru-o".
| Torima | Meaning | Abbreviation for "Toriaezu, maa" in Japanese, which translates to "for now" or "anyway". |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Commonly used at the beginning of sentences to mean "for the time being" or "for now". It's also often used with a light nuance like "um" or "uh". It's a convenient word used when summarizing a conversation. |
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| Example sentence | Torima, let's decide on our plans after we gather. Torima, isn't xx's opinion okay? |
Tehe/Tehepero
Tehe or Tehepero ranked second in the 2011 gal buzzword award and was frequently used in television and other media.
| Tehe/Tehepero | Meaning | A word expressing a bashful smile. "Tehepero" refers to the act of sticking out one's tongue while giving a shy smile. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to laugh off a mistake and lighten the mood. It's often used as a light-hearted apology, but one needs to be careful as it might be perceived as acting cutesy. |
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| Example sentence | Sorry I overslept, tehe. I forgot my money, tehepero. |
Kyawatan
Kyawatan ranked fourth in the 2011 gal buzzword award and second in the 2012 mobile buzzword award for junior and senior high school girls.
It is said to be derived from "kyawawa."
| Kyawatan | Meaning | It means "cute." The suffix "tan" doesn't particularly have a meaning. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used when wanting to express something is "cute". It can be used for a wide range of genres such as people, animals, characters, and clothes. |
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| Example sentence | Look! Isn't this cat super kyawatan? That hat is kyawatan! Which brand is it? |
xx tan
xx tan, as used in phrases like "kyawatan", "tsuratan", "yabatan", "uzatan", "nemutan", was a trendy gyaru slang.
After "kyawatan" ranked in the 4th place in 2011 Gal Buzzword Award, words with the "tan" suffix became a boom among youngsters.
| xx tan | Meaning |
The "tan" at the end of the word has no particular meaning, but it gives a cute impression. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used based on one's mood at the time. Also, it was frequently used in photo booth graffiti(purikura). | |
| Example sentence | Today's purikura(photo strips) looks great! Aren't we kyawatan? I'm broke and can't go out to play – seriously tsuratan. |
Tennage & Tennsage
"Tennage" ranked 2nd place in the 2012 Gal Buzzword Award and 5th place in the Girls' Junior and Senior High School Mobile Buzzword Award.
Its antonym "Tennsage" also exists.
| Tennage | Meaning | "Tennage" is an abbreviation of the Japanese word "Tenshon-Age" which means "Tension up". |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to express heightened emotions. | |
| Example sentence | My crush called me, and I'm so Tennage! |
| Tennsage | Meaning | "Tennsage" is an abbreviation of the Japanese word "Tenshon-Sage" which means "Tension Down". |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used when feeling down or dispirited. | |
| Example sentence | Suddenly I have to work, and it's such a Tennsage~. |
Pathi-n(Pattern)
"Pathi-n" feels slightly old-fashioned, but it began trending around 2011, and by 2012, it ranked 5th place in Gal Buzzword Award.
| Pathi-n | Meaning | A derivative of "Pattern", referring to a type or style. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Often used to express an anticipated situation or condition. | |
| Example sentence | I've had a sore throat since this morning... Could it be the onset of a cold pathi-n? |
~na imi
"~na imi" ranked in the 2012 Gal Buzzword Award 10th place and is still a frequently heard phrase in everyday conversations.
| ~na imi | Meaning | Abbreviation of the Japanese expression "Imi-ga-Wakaranai" which means "I don't understand" Instead of referring to the "meaning" of a word or event, it embodies the sense of "I don't see the reason to do (or did) ~." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Essentially, it's a convenient phrase for concise communication. It can also be used in the context of "There's no point in doing ~". |
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| Example sentence | I ate too much… There is any point in exercising-imi. |
Kamacho
"Kamacho" is an abbreviation of the Japanese word "Kamatte-chodai," which means "Please pay attention to me.", which began to be used around 2012.
Owing to its cute phrasing, it's frequently used between lovers or friends and ranked in the 4th place in 2014 JCJK buzzword ranking.
| Kamacho | Meaning | It means "I want attention" or "I want someone to notice me." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used when feeling bored, lonely, or wanting to chat with someone. | |
| Example sentence | I'm free today~ Someone kamacho |
Vibes
The term "Vibes", which won 1st place in 2013 Gal Buzzword Award, was originally used in the music industry, especially within reggae and hip-hop terms.
The term's spread, especially among the youth, can be attributed to "Imai Hana", a Gyaru model and celebrity.
Her repeated use of the term "Vibes" during her appearance on a popular reality dating show caught attention.
Since then, it has been used in various variety shows and has become widely recognized.
| Vibes | Meaning | "Vibes" is an abbreviation of "Vibration". In reggae and hip-hop, it was used to express "feeling", or "tension." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to express heightened excitement or a good mood. It can also denote an indescribable atmosphere, mood, or feeling. |
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| Example sentence | These new earrings I bought are so cute, my vibes are off the charts~ Isn’t that person's vibes really high? |
Geki Oko Punpun Maru
Geki Oko Punpun Maru is a youth word that ranked 2nd in the 2013 Gal Buzzword Awards.
Originally, the Gyaru language "Oko" or "angry" evolved into "Geki Oko" then to "Geki Oko Punpun Maru".
Its humorous phrasing caught media attention at the time.
| Geki Oko Punpun Maru | Meaning | A term to express intense anger. The degree of anger varies as follows:
Further evolutions of "Geki Oko Punpun Maru" include the following three expressions, termed "The Six-Step Conjugation of Anger"
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|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to express extreme anger. However, the playful nature of the phrase might undermine the severity of the anger. | |
| Example sentence | It's freezing and I've been waiting outside for so long! I'm Geki Oko Punpun Maru! |
Ryo
"Ryo" is an abbreviation of the Japanese word "Ryoukai", meaning understood or I get it.
It's used on social media platforms like LINE.
It ranked 8th place in the 2013 Gal Buzzword Award and 9th in 2014, showcasing its popularity during that time.
| Ryo | Meaning | An abbreviation of the Japanese word "ryoukai," which means "I get it." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used when acknowledging a request or when one has understood the content of a matter. Some even abbreviate it further to "ri". | |
| Example sentence | A: The roads are busy, so I'll be about 15 minutes late. B: Ryo! |
KS
"KS" made it to the 9th place in the 2013 Gal Buzzword Award.
While it's a term coined by the younger generation, the meaning behind the acronym might be ambiguous to some.
| KS | Meaning | "KS" stands for the initials of the Romanized "Kidoku Suru-", meaning reading a message and ignoring it. Essentially, it refers to the situation on the chat app "LINE" where a message sent to someone has been read but is left unanswered. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used in the context of having been ignored on LINE or when you've ignored someone. | |
| Example sentence | I messaged someone I'm interested in, but I got KS. Maybe there's no chance? Sorry! I was busy with work and unintentionally left it on KS. |
Sorena
"Sorena", commonly heard in young people's conversations, was the 1st place in 2014 Gal Buzzword Award.
| Sorena | Meaning | It translates to "Exactly" or "That's right", conveying agreement or affirmation. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Typically used in conversations when agreeing with someone's opinion. It can also be used as a casual acknowledgment, similar to nodding in agreement. |
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| Example sentence | A: I'm feeling so lazy today! B: Sorena! (empathy) C: I heard there's a storm coming tomorrow! D: Sorena~ (agreement) |
Aa-ne
"Aa-ne", which ranked 4th place in 2014 Gal Buzzword Award, carries a similar meaning to "sorena".
| Aa-ne | Meaning | It translates to "Ah, I see", "Oh, right", or "I got it", indicating consent. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used in conversations when expressing understanding or as a casual acknowledgment. Its usage slightly differs from "sorena", being used more for consent or agreement. |
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| Example sentence | A: Why are your eyelids so red? B: It's because of my hay fever. A: Aa-ne. Take care! (consent) C: They say there's heavy rain tomorrow. We shouldn't forget our umbrellas. D: Aa-ne! (agreeing) |
Ieaa
"Ieaa" is a word commonly seen on social media and ranked 2nd place in 2014 Gal Buzzword Award.
| Ieaa | Meaning | It's the Hiragana(Japanese notation) representation of the English word "Yeah". It can also mean "Yay" or "That's right." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used when expressing excitement or agreeing with someone. Mostly used on platforms like LINE or other social media. |
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| Example sentence | A:How about we go to karaoke after school tomorrow? B:Ieaa! That sounds awesome! |
Oke
"Oke" ranked 6th place in 2014 Gal Buzzword Award and is still used among the youth today.
| Oke | Meaning | An abbreviation for "Okay." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Can be used in both face-to-face conversation and on messaging apps like LINE. Due to its brevity, "Oke" is more efficient to type and is therefore frequently used on platforms like LINE. On some online forums, it became trendy to type it as "おk". |
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| Example sentence | A: Is 7 pm okay for our meet-up tomorrow? B: Oke! |
Byoude
"Byoude" ranked 7th place in 2014 JCJK buzzword ranking.
Even though it might seem a bit outdated, it's still prevalent among the youth.
| Byoude | Meaning | It translates to "immediately", "right now", or "in a split second." Some believe its origin might be the abbreviation of "byousoku de" (at a second's pace). |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to emphasize doing something quickly. | |
| Example sentence | If I get a message from my crush, I'd reply in a byoude. |
Jiwaru
"Jiwaru" is believed to have originated from posts on social media around 2014.
It's frequently used in daily conversations and is one of the slang terms that has permeated mainstream language.
| Jiwaru | Meaning | An abbreviation of "jiwajiwa kuru." It refers to a state where laughter slowly wells up after the fact. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | It can be used when at first it doesn't seem that funny, but as time goes on, laughter gradually wells up, and you find yourself laughing. It can be expressed in variations like "jiwatta" or "jiwatteru", and on platforms like social media, it's often followed by "ww" or "(lol)". |
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| Example sentence | My boyfriend sent a quirky picture, and it is jiwaru. |
Paripi
Many might have come across "Paripi".
This word, which won first place in the 2015 Gyaru Buzzword Awards, became popular as celebrities and models used it in the media.
| Paripi | Meaning | An abbreviation of the English term "party people." It refers to people who enjoy partying, clubbing, or lively gatherings. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Often used to express a desire to party or describe someone who seems like they love partying. | |
| Example sentence | It's been a long time since I've had paripi! Your outfit today looks so "Paripi"! |
XXkayo(kawaii kayo,saikou kayo)
"XXkayo" clinched the second spot in the 2015 Gal Buzzword Award.
This retort "XXkayo!" is believed to have been popularized by comedian Masakazu Mimura of "Samaazu".
| XXkayo | Meaning | "XXkayo" combines the end particles "ka" and "yo". For example, "kawaii kayo!(too damn cute)" captures the emotion of being taken aback by something's cuteness. |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to express strong emotions of surprise, joy, or agreement. | |
| Example sentence | This view is saikou kayo(just too damn good). |
Ria-tomo
"Ria-tomo", popular around 2015, emerged due to the proliferation of the internet and remains a typical slang among the youth.
| Ria-tomo | Meaning | Abbreviation for the Japanese word "riaru-na-tomodachi (real friends)", which means "friends in the real world (real life)." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Often used to differentiate between friends met in virtual spaces like chatrooms or online games from those in real life. By the way, friends only connected online are termed as "Nettomo." |
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| Example sentence | At first, we were only nettomo(online friends), but now we're ria-tomo(friends in real life)! |
Rebechi
"Rebechi", a slang trend around 2015, ranked 7th in the 2015 Gal Buzzword Award.
| Rebechi | Meaning | It is an abbreviation of the Japanese word "Level ga chigau" and means "another level." |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Used to express that something is significantly superior when compared to others. | |
| Example sentence | Models truly are on a rebechi (different level), aren't they? Their legs are just too long! |
How was it?
Have you ever heard of Gyaru language?
New words are created every year in the Gal language, and the language changes rapidly.
There are gyaru language that were popular at the time but are no longer used, and gyaru language that are still popular today.
I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of gal language will appear next.
