やりすぎ
Significado: Going too far — when someone overdoes something, used both as criticism for excess and as impressed admiration for extraordinary effort.
Formed from やり (the stem of やる, to do) plus すぎ (too much), this versatile phrase sits at the intersection of criticism and praise. Negatively, it calls out someone who crossed a line — a prank that went too far, spending too much money, overreacting. Positively, it expresses awe at someone's dedication or the quality of their work — the implication being 'you did way more than anyone expected, and it's amazing.' Context and tone determine which reading applies.
Ejemplos
- サプライズのつもりが相手泣かせちゃって、ちょっとやりすぎたかも。 本来想给个惊喜结果把人弄哭了,可能有点太过了。Iba a ser una sorpresa, pero hice llorar a la otra persona; puede que me pasase un poco.
- 文化祭の装飾やりすぎでしょこれ、プロが作ったみたい。 文化祭的装饰也太过了吧,像专业做的一样。La decoración del festival cultural es pasarse, ¿no? Parece hecha por un profesional.
- ダイエット中に3時間も走るのはやりすぎだって、体壊すよ。 减肥中跑三个小时太过了吧,会把身体搞坏的。Correr tres horas estando a dieta es pasarse, te vas a hacer daño.
Pronunciación
/ja.ɾi su.ɡi/
Guía de uso
Contexto: friends, social media, casual conversation
Tono: critical or impressed, context-dependent
✓ Correcto
- この手作りケーキやりすぎでしょ、お店出せるレベルだよ。 (This homemade cake is over the top — it's shop-quality.)这个手工蛋糕也太过了吧,可以开店了。(这个自制蛋糕太过分了——完全是店铺级别的水准。)Esta tarta casera es pasarse — es de nivel de pastelería profesional. (This homemade cake is over the top — it's shop-quality.)
- イタズラにしてはやりすぎだよ、あれは怒られるって。 (That was too far for a prank — of course you got told off.)作为恶作剧来说太过了,那肯定会被骂的。(作为恶作剧来说过头了——当然会被骂啊。)Para ser una broma, te has pasado — claro que te han echado la bronca. (That was too far for a prank — of course you got told off.)
✗ Incorrecto
- 褒めたいときは笑顔やトーンで「良いやりすぎ」と伝えないと批判に聞こえる (If you mean it as praise, convey it with a smile or tone — otherwise やりすぎ sounds like criticism)如果想表达夸奖,需要通过笑容或语气传达'好的那种过分',否则听起来像批评(如果是想夸奖,要用笑容或语气传达——否则'太过了'听起来像在批评)Si lo dices como elogio, transmítelo con una sonrisa o el tono adecuado — de lo contrario, やりすぎ suena a crítica
Errores comunes
- Defaulting to the negative reading — in social media and fan contexts, やりすぎ is very often high praise
- Confusing やりすぎ with しすぎ — while grammatically similar, やりすぎ focuses on the scale of effort or action, not just frequency
Origen e historia
A straightforward compound of the verb やる (to do) and the すぎ (excess) suffix. This construction has existed in Japanese for centuries, but its dual positive/negative slang usage — especially online as a reaction to impressive content — became prominent in the 2010s.
Contexto cultural
Era: Long-standing phrase, social media amplified dual usage in 2010s
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal informal
Regional notes: Used nationwide. The TV show やりすぎ都市伝説 helped popularise the word further as a pop culture reference.
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