天才かよ

• 読み: てんさいかよ
• ローマ字: tensai ka yo
• 漢字の分解: 天 (heaven) + 才 (talent) → genius; かよ is a rhetorical exclamation particle
• 発音: /te.n.sa.i.ka.jo/

意味

Are you a genius or what? — a rhetorical exclamation of admiration for something impressively clever or skilled.

A tsukkomi-style (retort-style) compliment where the speaker pretends to be exasperated by how good someone is. The かよ ending adds a rough, incredulous punch that makes it feel spontaneous and genuine rather than polished. Extremely popular as a reaction on social media, in gaming, and among friends when someone pulls off something unexpectedly brilliant.

例文

1. この発想は天才かよって思った。
2. 天才かよ、一回で覚えちゃうの。
3. 5分でこのクオリティ？天才かよ。

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, social media, gaming, reactions

トーン: incredulous, admiring

正しい言い方

• 即興でこれ弾けるの？天才かよ。 (You can play this off the cuff? Are you a genius?)
• 寝てないのにこのパフォーマンスは天才かよ。 (Performing like this on no sleep — are you a genius or what?)

避ける言い方

• 初対面の人や目上の人に「天才かよ」は馴れ馴れしい (Using 'tensai ka yo' with strangers or superiors is too familiar)

よくある間違い

• Using 天才かよ with people you don't know well — the かよ ending is rough and only appropriate with friends or online

起源と歴史

Combines 天才 (genius) with the colloquial rhetorical particle かよ (expressing disbelief or exasperation). This tsukkomi-style compliment became a standard social media reaction in the 2010s, following the pattern of hyperbolic praise phrases.

文化的背景

時代: 2010s social media culture

世代: Teens to 30s primarily

社会的背景: Universal informal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. Follows the tsukkomi comedy tradition of expressing admiration through mock exasperation.