中二病

• 読み: ちゅうにびょう
• ローマ字: chūnibyō
• 漢字の分解: 中 (middle) + 二 (two/second) + 病 (illness/syndrome) → middle school second-year syndrome
• 発音: /tɕɯː.ni.bʲoː/

意味

Eighth-grader syndrome — the cringe-worthy phase where adolescents adopt grandiose delusions, believing they have special powers or unique dark knowledge.

中二病 describes the embarrassing behaviours common around age 14: wearing bandages on an unwounded arm, claiming to have a 'dark past,' speaking in faux-philosophical riddles, or insisting you have suppressed supernatural powers. While the term mocks adolescent pretension, it is used affectionately — most people recognise their own 中二病 phase. It became a major anime genre after 'Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!'

例文

1. 中二病の時に書いたポエム見つけて死にたくなった。
2. あの黒歴史は完全に中二病だったわ。
3. 大人になっても中二病が抜けない人っているよね。

使い方ガイド

場面: anime, social media, nostalgia, teasing friends

トーン: teasing, nostalgic, self-deprecating

正しい言い方

• 中二病の黒歴史って誰にでもあるよね (Everyone has embarrassing chunibyo memories, right?)
• 中二病キャラって面白いから好き (I like chunibyo characters because they're funny)

避ける言い方

• 本気で厨二的な趣味を持っている大人を馬鹿にするのは失礼 (Seriously mocking adults who enjoy chunibyo-style hobbies is rude)

よくある間違い

• Using 中二病 to mock someone's genuine interests rather than the specific adolescent delusion behaviour
• Not understanding the three subtypes: DQN系 (delinquent), サブカル系 (subculture), and 邪気眼系 (evil eye/supernatural)

起源と歴史

Coined by radio personality Hikaru Ijūin (伊集院光) around 1999 on his radio show. 中二 (second year of middle school, ~age 14) + 病 (illness/syndrome). Popularised massively by the 2012 anime '中二病でも恋がしたい!' (Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions).

文化的背景

時代: 1999 coinage, 2012 anime-driven popularisation

世代: Teens to 30s (widely recognised by all ages)

社会的背景: Youth culture, anime/manga community

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. One of the most well-known anime/internet culture terms, recognised even by people who don't watch anime.