セクシー

Japanese Slang Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 casual セクシーsekushii

読み セクシー

ローマ字 sekushii

漢字の分解 From English 'sexy' — adopted as a loanword with slightly broader usage than the English original

発音 /se.kɯ.ɕiː/

意味

Sexy or attractive — used to describe physical appeal, alluring performances, or stylish presentation.

Borrowed from English 'sexy,' セクシー in Japanese is used somewhat more broadly than its English source. While it can describe physical attractiveness, it also extends to fashion choices, dance performances, artistic expression, and even non-physical things that have a sleek, appealing quality. The word became a political meme in 2019 when a minister used it to describe climate policy.

例文

あのダンス、セクシーすぎない？
セクシーな雰囲気が出ててかっこいい。
新曲のMVがセクシーで話題になってる。

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, social media, entertainment, fashion

トーン: admiring, flirtatious, aesthetic

正しい言い方

その衣装セクシーでいいね。 (That outfit looks sexy, nice.)
セクシーな曲が似合うアイドルだよね。 (They're an idol who suits sexy songs.)

避ける言い方

職場で同僚に「セクシーだね」はセクハラになる (Telling a colleague 'sekushii da ne' at work constitutes sexual harassment)

よくある間違い

Using セクシー too freely in professional contexts — like in English, it can be inappropriate depending on the situation
Not understanding the 2019 Koizumi meme — Japanese people may use セクシー ironically to mock vague, substance-free statements

起源と歴史

Borrowed from English 'sexy.' Entered Japanese through Western media and fashion culture. The 2019 incident where Environment Minister Koizumi said climate action should be 'sexy' turned the word into a political meme.

文化的背景

時代: Established loanword, meme status since 2019 Koizumi incident

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal casual

地域メモ: Used across Japan. After the 2019 Koizumi incident, セクシー gained an ironic secondary meaning of 'vague and substance-free' in political commentary.