号泣
Meaning: Bawling or ugly crying — crying intensely and uncontrollably, often loudly.
While 号泣 is a real Japanese word meaning 'wailing,' it has taken on exaggerated slang usage on social media where people use it to describe crying hard at movies, manga, music, or touching stories. In slang contexts it is often used somewhat hyperbolically — you might not literally be wailing, but you cried much harder than expected. Frequently appears in the pattern 号泣した (gōkyū shita, 'I bawled').
Examples
- あのアニメの最終回、号泣しすぎて目が腫れた。 那部动漫的大结局,我哭到眼睛都肿了。Lloré tanto con el último episodio de ese anime que se me hincharon los ojos.그 애니메이션 최종회에 너무 펑펑 울어서 눈이 부었어.
- 卒業式でみんなの前で号泣しちゃって恥ずかしかった。 毕业典礼上在大家面前嚎啕大哭,太丢人了。Fue vergonzoso porque me puse a llorar a moco tendido delante de todos en la graduación.졸업식에서 모두 앞에서 펑펑 울어버려서 부끄러웠어.
- 推しの引退発表を見て号泣した。 看到推(喜欢的偶像)宣布退出,我直接哭崩了。Lloré desconsoladamente al ver el anuncio de retirada de mi ídolo favorito.최애의 은퇴 발표를 보고 대성통곡했어.
Pronunciation
/ɡoː.kjuː/
Usage Guide
Context: social media, friends, entertainment reactions
Tone: dramatic, emotional, sometimes self-deprecating
✓ Do Say
- 映画観て号泣したの久しぶりだった。 (It's been a while since I bawled watching a movie.)好久没有看电影看到嚎啕大哭了。(好久没有看电影哭成那样了。)Hacía mucho que no lloraba a moco tendido viendo una película.영화 보고 펑펑 운 건 오랜만이었어.
- あのMV号泣注意だから覚悟して見て。 (That music video is a guaranteed cry-fest, so brace yourself.)那个MV是催泪弹,做好心理准备再看。(那个MV保证让你哭,做好心理准备再看。)Ese videoclip es garantía de llantos, así que prepárate.그 뮤직비디오 대성통곡 주의니까 각오하고 봐.
✗ Don't Say
- フォーマルな場で「号泣しました」は子供っぽく聞こえることがある (Saying 'gōkyū shimashita' in formal settings can sound childish or overly dramatic)在正式场合说「号泣しました」可能会显得幼稚或过于夸张Decir 'gōkyū shimashita' en contextos formales puede sonar infantil o excesivamente dramático.공식적인 자리에서 '号泣しました'라고 하면 유치하거나 지나치게 과장되게 들릴 수 있다
Common Mistakes
- Using 号泣 when you only teared up slightly — it specifically implies loud, intense crying, so overuse dilutes the impact
Origin & History
Composed of 号 (gō, to cry out/wail) and 泣 (kyū, to cry). A classical compound that has been in Japanese for centuries, but gained new life as internet/social media slang for dramatically intense crying.
Cultural Context
Era: Classical word, slang usage popularised in 2010s social media era
Generation: All ages, especially 10s-30s on social media
Social background: Universal informal, common in otaku and fan communities
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Very common on Twitter/X as a reaction to emotional content.
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