ギガ死
Meaning: Running out of mobile data — the dreaded state of having exhausted one's monthly data allowance and being throttled to unusably slow speeds.
Combining ギガ (data) with 死 (death), ギガ死 dramatically describes the moment your mobile data runs out and speeds drop to a crawl. The 'death' metaphor captures the genuine frustration of modern smartphone users who feel cut off when they cannot stream, browse, or use apps at normal speed. It is a universally relatable complaint, especially among younger users who consume large amounts of video content.
Examples
- まだ月半ばなのにギガ死した、TikTok見すぎた。 才月中流量就用光了,TikTok刷太多了。Aún estamos a mitad de mes y ya me he quedado sin datos, vi demasiado TikTok.아직 월 중순인데 기가 다 죽었어, 틱톡 너무 많이 봤나 봐.
- ギガ死してるから画像全然読み込まないんだけど。 流量用完了,图片根本加载不出来。Me he quedado sin datos y las imágenes no cargan para nada.기가 죽어서 이미지가 전혀 로딩이 안 되는데.
- 来月からプラン上げないとまたギガ死するわ。 下个月得升级套餐,不然又要断流量了。El mes que viene tengo que subir de plan o me volveré a quedar sin datos.다음 달부터 요금제 올리지 않으면 또 기가 죽을 거야.
Pronunciation
/gi.ga.ɕi/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, social media, LINE
Tone: dramatic, frustrated
✓ Do Say
- ギガ死したから返信遅れる! (I ran out of data so my replies will be slow!)流量用光了,回复会慢!(I ran out of data so my replies will be slow!)Me he quedado sin datos, ¡así que tardaré en contestar!기가 죽었으니까 답장 늦을 거야! (데이터 다 써서 답장이 느릴 거야!)
- 毎月25日くらいにギガ死するんだよね。 (I run out of data around the 25th every month.)每个月到25号左右流量就用完了。(I run out of data around the 25th every month.)Siempre me quedo sin datos alrededor del día 25 de cada mes.매달 25일쯤 되면 기가 죽어. (매달 25일쯤 데이터가 바닥나.)
✗ Don't Say
- 通信会社への問い合わせで「ギガ死しました」は砕けすぎ — 「データ通信量を使い切りました」を使う (Saying 'giga shi' to your carrier is too casual — say 'I've used up my data allowance')向运营商客服说「ギガ死しました」太口语化了——应该说「数据流量已经用完了」Decir 'giga shi' (muerte de gigas) al contactar con tu operadora es demasiado informal — mejor di 'he agotado mi tarifa de datos'통신사에 문의할 때 「ギガ死しました」는 너무 가벼운 표현이다 — 「データ通信量を使い切りました(데이터를 모두 사용했습니다)」를 사용할 것
Common Mistakes
- Not understanding that ギガ死 specifically means being throttled, not that the phone literally stops working
Origin & History
Compound of ギガ (mobile data) + 死 (death). Emerged in the late 2010s as mobile data caps became a universal concern. The dramatic 'death' metaphor reflects how essential constant connectivity has become.
Cultural Context
Era: Late 2010s smartphone culture
Generation: Teens to 30s
Social background: Universal youth culture
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. A staple complaint on social media, especially towards the end of billing cycles.
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