Young traveler in Tokyo smiling while reading a phrasebook, with colorful Japanese slang words and neon city signs in the bac

Japanese Slang for Beginners — Free PDF and Flashcards

If you’re learning Japanese, this page works like a study sheet: clear entries, quick context, and a format that’s easy to review in short sessions.

If you’re ready to sound a little less textbook and a little more like an actual human in conversation, you’re in the right place. Scroll to the bottom of this article for the free printable Japanese slang for beginners vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable Japanese slang for beginners flashcards.

If this topic helped, explore more in our Japanese learning section. it’s the easiest way to keep building related vocabulary without jumping around the web.

Quick Quiz

Think you can already tell your yabai from your maji ? Try the quick vocabulary quiz below and see how many of these slang terms have already wormed their way into your brain.

Keep building your Japanese

Choose a practical next step when you are ready.

Browse the Full List

ExpressionReadingMeaningExampleTranslation
ギャグぎゃぐgag; jokeそのギャグ、ちょっと寒いね。That joke is a little lame.
キュンきゅんa heart-fluttering feeling; swoonその笑顔にキュンとした。That smile made my heart flutter.
キュン死きゅんしoverwhelmed by something adorable; heart-stoppingly cuteあの子犬、かわいすぎてキュン死しそう。That puppy is so cute I could die from it.
キョロ充きょろじゅうsomeone awkwardly looking around for companyあのキョロ充、また誰か探してる。That person who can't be alone is looking for someone again.
キレるきれるto snap; to lose one's temper彼はすぐキレる。He snaps easily.
クーデレくーでれa character who is cool but secretly affectionate彼はクーデレなタイプだ。He's the cool-but-secretly-affectionate type.
ググるguguruto Google somethingわからないことはすぐググる。I Google things I don’t understand right away.
グダグダぐだぐだmessy; dragging on; rambling会議がグダグダだった。The meeting was a mess.
グロいぐろいgross; grotesqueあの映画はグロいです。That movie is gross.
ゲームオタgeemu otagame nerd; gaming otaku弟はゲームオタで、新しいゲームに詳しい。My younger brother is a game nerd and knows a lot about new games.
シュールしゅーるsurreal; weird in an amusing wayその動画、シュールで笑った。That video was surreal, and I laughed.
シラフしらふsober; not drunk今日はシラフで帰った。I went home sober today.
しんどいshindoiexhausting; rough; hard今日は仕事が多くてしんどい。I have a lot of work today, and it’s exhausting.
しんどっshindough, that's rough; so exhausting朝からずっと立ちっぱなしで、しんどっ。I’ve been standing all morning. Ugh, that’s rough.
ズッ友ずっともbest friends forever私たちはズッ友だよ。We're best friends forever.
セクハラせくはらsexual harassmentその発言はセクハラだよ。That comment is sexual harassment.
セフレせふれfriends with benefitsあの二人はセフレらしい。I heard those two are friends with benefits.
それなそれなI know, right? / ExactlyそれなI know, right? / Exactly
ダサいdasaiuncool; lameその服、ちょっとダサいね。Those clothes are a little lame.
ダチだちbuddy; palあいつは昔からのダチだ。He's a buddy I've known for a long time.
だっせえdasseelame; uncoolその服、ちょっとだっせえね。Those clothes are kind of lame.
タピるtapiruto get bubble tea放課後にタピる?Want to get bubble tea after school?
だるいだるいtired; annoying; can’t be bothered今日はだるいな。I feel sluggish today.
だるっdaruugh, annoying; so tiringまた残業?だるっ。Overtime again? Ugh, so tiring.
チルいchiruichill; relaxedこのカフェ、チルいね。This cafe is chill.

Free Japanese Slang for Beginners PDF and Flashcard Downloads

Grab the purple vocab-list button for the Japanese slang for beginners vocabulary list, and the teal flashcards button for the Japanese slang for beginners flashcards. Both are 100% free and require no signup.

More Japanese to explore