ゲロる
Meaning: To confess or spill the beans; to reveal a secret you were holding back.
ゲロる literally comes from ゲロ (vomit), used metaphorically to mean 'spilling' information you were keeping inside. It is a vivid, somewhat crude way to describe confessing or revealing hidden information. The image is of secrets being held inside and then coming out all at once, like being sick. Used in both lighthearted contexts (confessing a crush) and more serious ones (admitting wrongdoing).
Examples
- 問い詰められてついゲロっちゃった。 被逼问之下不小心全招了。Me acorralaron y al final acabé soltándolo todo.추궁당해서 그만 불어버렸어.
- 誰が犯人かゲロるまで帰さないぞ。 不把犯人是谁说出来就别想回去。No os vais a ir de aquí hasta que alguien confiese quién fue.누가 범인인지 실토할 때까지 안 보내 줄 거야.
- 飲み会で酔ってゲロった秘密を翌日後悔した。 喝酒时说漏嘴的秘密,第二天就后悔了。Me arrepentí al día siguiente de haber soltado el secreto borracho en la cena.술자리에서 취해서 불어버린 비밀을 다음 날 후회했어.
Pronunciation
/ɡe.ɾo.ɾɯ/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, gossip, interrogation (playful), drinking parties
Tone: confrontational, dramatic, playful
✓ Do Say
- もうゲロっちゃいなよ、みんな知ってるから。 (Just spill it already — everyone knows anyway.)你就老实交代吧,大家都知道了。Venga, suéltalo ya, que todo el mundo lo sabe.그냥 불어버려, 다들 이미 알고 있으니까. (빨리 실토해 — 어차피 다 알아.)
- 酔った勢いでゲロった話を素面で聞かされるの最悪。 (It's the worst when someone retells the secret you spilled while drunk, when you're sober.)醉酒时说漏嘴的事,清醒后被人重新说一遍真的太惨了。Lo peor es que alguien te repita en sobrio el secreto que soltaste borracho.취해서 불어버린 이야기를 맨정신일 때 다시 듣게 되는 건 최악이야. (술김에 털어놓은 비밀을 맨정신에서 다시 들으면 정말 최악이야.)
✗ Don't Say
- フォーマルな場で「ゲロる」は下品すぎる (Using ゲロる in formal settings is too vulgar — use 白状する or 打ち明ける instead)在正式场合用ゲロる太粗俗了——应该用白状する或打ち明ける。Usar ゲロる en contextos formales es demasiado vulgar; es mejor emplear 白状する o 打ち明ける.공식적인 자리에서 「ゲロる」는 너무 저속하다 (격식 있는 자리에서 ゲロる는 지나치게 거칠다 — 白状する나 打ち明ける를 사용해야 한다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ゲロる in polite company — the vomit metaphor makes it quite crude and it should be reserved for casual situations with close friends
Origin & History
From ゲロ (vomit) + る (verb suffix), creating a metaphor of 'vomiting up' secrets or confessions. Emerged in 1990s youth slang. The crude imagery makes it more emphatic than simply saying 告白する (to confess).
Cultural Context
Era: 1990s youth slang
Generation: Teens to 30s
Social background: Universal, casual settings only
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The vividly physical metaphor is typical of Japanese slang's tendency to create verbs from bodily functions.
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