Praise & Approval

Japanese slang for complimenting, praising, and expressing admiration

Introduction

When something impresses a Japanese person, they have no shortage of slang to say so. From calling someone 神 (god-level) to declaring something ハンパない (no half-measures), the language of praise is vivid and enthusiastic.

This chapter explores how Japanese speakers express approval, admiration, and hype in casual settings.

Themes

All Japanese Slang in This Chapter (80)

• 神 An exclamation meaning godlike or absolutely amazing, used to praise somethin...
• イケてる Cool, stylish, or looking good — used to compliment someone's appearance, fas...
• ハンパない Insane, extraordinary, or next level — used to emphasise that something is on...
• 最高 The best, the greatest — an enthusiastic declaration that something is top-tier.
• エモい Describes something that evokes deep emotion, nostalgia, or a bittersweet aes...
• かっこいい Cool, handsome, or attractive — the go-to compliment for someone or something...
• すごい Amazing, awesome, incredible — the most versatile and common expression of ad...
• えぐい Extreme, insane, or intense — used for anything shockingly impressive or over...
• 天才 Genius — used as enthusiastic praise for someone who does something clever, c...
• 優勝 Literally 'championship victory,' used as slang to declare that something is ...
• 有能 Highly capable or competent — internet slang praise for someone who gets thin...
• さすが As expected of you — an expression of admiration acknowledging that someone h...
• 強い Strong or powerful — slang praise for someone who is bold, fearless, or impre...
• 神対応 Godlike response or perfect customer service — used when someone handles a si...
• 神回 A legendary episode, session, or event — used when a particular installment o...
• 良すぎ Too good, excessively good — an emphatic declaration that something exceeds a...
• 最強 The strongest, ultimate, or unbeatable — used to declare something as the abs...
• 伝説 Legendary or iconic — used to elevate something to mythical status in casual ...
• ナイス Nice! Good job! — a quick, casual exclamation of approval borrowed from English.
• グッジョブ Good job! — an encouraging exclamation borrowed from English to praise someon...
• ファインプレー A fine play, clutch move, or great save — praise for skillfully handling a tr...
• レベチ On a completely different level — abbreviation of レベルが違う, used to praise some...
• 半端ねぇ Insanely good or intense — a rough, masculine variant of ハンパない expressing ext...
• 鬼 Extremely or intensely — used as a prefix to amplify any adjective or verb, m...
• ガチですごい Genuinely amazing or seriously impressive — emphasises that the praise is sin...
• 最高かよ Is this the best thing ever or what — a rhetorical exclamation expressing del...
• センスある Has great taste or good sense — used to compliment someone's aesthetic judgme...
• 才能の塊 A lump of pure talent — used to praise someone who is exceptionally gifted in...
• スペック高い High specs or impressive abilities — used to describe someone or something wi...
• ハイスペ High-spec person — someone who is both attractive and successful, ticking all...
• イケメン A good-looking guy or handsome man — one of the most common compliments for m...
• 美人 A beautiful woman — the classic, elegant term for female beauty in Japanese.
• 可愛い Cute, adorable, or lovable — arguably the most iconic Japanese word, covering...
• 美しい Beautiful, stunning, or magnificent — a more emphatic and elevated form of pr...
• 映える Photogenic, Insta-worthy, or visually striking — used when something looks gr...
• おしゃれ Fashionable, trendy, or stylish — used for people, places, or things with a p...
• 抜群 Outstanding, superb, or head and shoulders above the rest.
• 完璧 Perfect, flawless — the ultimate declaration that something has zero room for...
• 最&高 The ultimate best — an emphatic internet-style variation of 最高 that adds dram...
• 控えめに言って最高 To put it modestly, it's the best — a humorous rhetorical understatement that...
• 刺さる To hit hard emotionally or resonate deeply — describes content, words, or art...
• 沼 A swamp or quicksand — used to describe being completely hooked on or obsesse...
• 沼る To fall deep into an obsession or hobby and become unable to stop — the verb ...
• ハマる To be hooked on or addicted to something — describes getting really into a ho...
• 推せる Worthy of being supported or stanned — describes someone or something so good...
• 優しい世界 A kind world — used to describe heartwarming, wholesome content or moments wh...
• ありがたい Grateful, so thankful, or blessed — expresses deep appreciation, often for so...
• リスペクト Respect or major props — used to express genuine admiration for someone's ski...
• 圧倒的 Overwhelming, dominant, or absolutely crushing it — used to emphasise that so...
• 別格 In a class of its own, exceptional, or on a completely different tier — descr...
• 格が違う On a whole different level or class apart — used to say someone or something ...
• ぶっちぎり By a huge margin, far ahead of the rest, or in a league of their own — descri...
• セクシー Sexy or attractive — used to describe physical appeal, alluring performances,...
• タイプ My type or exactly what I like — used to describe someone who matches your ro...
• ドストライク Right down the middle or exactly my type — describes something that perfectly...
• ご褒美 A treat, reward, or gift — used to describe experiences or things so good the...
• 贅沢 Luxurious or what a treat — describes something extravagantly good, indulgent...
• ガチ勢 Serious enthusiasts or the hardcore contingent — describes people who take a ...
• プロ Pro or professional-level — used as casual praise for someone who shows impre...
• 職人 Craftsman or artisan — used as praise for someone who shows meticulous, maste...
• 天使 Literally 'angel.' Used to describe someone who is incredibly kind, sweet, or...
• 女神 Literally 'goddess.' Used to describe an incredibly beautiful or generous wom...
• 王 Literally 'king.' Used to crown someone as the undisputed best or GOAT in a p...
• GOAT Borrowed from English: Greatest Of All Time. Used in Japanese to declare some...
• チート From English 'cheat.' Describes someone so talented or overpowered that it fe...
• バケモン Short for 化け物 (bakemono, monster). Used to describe someone so freakishly ski...
• ヤバい人 Literally 'a crazy/incredible person.' In positive slang, it means someone wh...
• ガチで好き Genuinely love it/them. Emphasises that the speaker is dead serious about the...
• 秀逸 Outstanding, excellent. Used to praise work that stands head and shoulders ab...
• 素晴らしい Wonderful, magnificent, splendid. A versatile word of high praise used in bot...
• 見事 Splendid, beautifully done, magnificent. Praises something executed with impr...
• ピカイチ Top-notch, the best of the bunch, number one. Describes something or someone ...
• ヤバかわ Insanely cute, dangerously adorable. A mashup of ヤバい (incredible) and かわいい (c...
• 半端ない Insane, next-level, extraordinary. Literally 'not half-baked' — something so ...
• センス抜群 Amazing taste or sense, top-tier aesthetic. Praises someone's natural instinc...
• ド直球 Straight-up, bluntly direct, no curveballs. Often used to praise someone for ...
• 完成度高い High quality, well-polished, impressively finished. Praises the level of comp...
• 刺さった Hit me right in the feels, deeply resonated. Something pierced your heart or ...
• 破壊力 Devastating impact, destructive power. Used in slang to describe the overwhel...
• ド正論 Undeniable truth, spot-on argument. An opinion so correct that nobody can arg...