地雷メイク
Meaning: A makeup style featuring dark under-eye liner, pale skin, and a gothic-cute aesthetic associated with the 'landmine girl' subculture.
地雷メイク (landmine makeup) is a distinctive beauty style characterized by heavy dark liner under the eyes, pale foundation, red or pink lipstick, and an overall fragile, doll-like appearance. The term comes from 地雷系 (jirai-kei, 'landmine type') — a subculture of women who look cute but are emotionally volatile. Originally somewhat derogatory, the makeup style was embraced and popularized on TikTok and YouTube around 2020-2021, becoming a mainstream beauty trend independent of its subculture origins.
Examples
- 今日は地雷メイクに挑戦してみたけど、目の下のライン難しすぎ。 今天尝试了地雷妆,但下眼线太难画了。Hoy he probado el maquillaje jirai, pero la línea bajo los ojos es dificilísima.오늘 지뢰 메이크에 도전해 봤는데, 눈 밑 라인 너무 어렵다.
- 地雷メイクってやりすぎると怖くなるから加減が大事だよね。 地雷妆画过头的话会变得有点吓人,所以掌握分寸很重要。El maquillaje jirai, si te pasas, da miedo, así que el equilibrio es importante.지뢰 메이크는 너무 과하면 무서워지니까 가감이 중요하지.
- 推しのライブだから地雷メイクで気合い入れていく。 因为要去看推的演唱会,所以画了地雷妆打起精神去。Voy al concierto de mi artista favorito, así que me arreglo a tope con maquillaje jirai.최애 라이브니까 지뢰 메이크로 기합 넣고 간다.
Pronunciation
/dʑi.ɾa.i me.i.kɯ/
Usage Guide
Context: beauty, social media, YouTube, TikTok, friends
Tone: descriptive, trendy
✓ Do Say
- 地雷メイクのやり方教えて! (Teach me how to do landmine makeup!)教教我怎么画地雷妆!¡Enséñame a hacer el maquillaje jirai! (¡Dime cómo se hace el maquillaje mina!)지뢰 메이크 하는 법 알려 줘! (지뢰 메이크 어떻게 하는지 가르쳐 줘!)
- 地雷メイクしたら「誰?」って言われた。 (When I did jirai makeup, people asked 'who are you?')画了地雷妆之后被人问「你是谁?」Cuando me hice el maquillaje jirai, la gente me preguntaba «¿quién eres?». (Cuando me maquillé al estilo jirai, todos decían «¿pero quién eres?».)지뢰 메이크 했더니 '누구야?'라는 말 들었어. (지뢰 메이크 했더니 사람들이 '누구세요?' 했어.)
✗ Don't Say
- 地雷メイクしてる人に「地雷女だね」は失礼 (Calling someone doing jirai makeup a 'landmine girl' is rude — the makeup is a style, not a personality label)对化地雷妆的人说「你是地雷女吧」很失礼——妆容是一种风格,不是人格标签Llamar «chica mina» a alguien que lleva maquillaje jirai es maleducado — el maquillaje es un estilo, no una etiqueta de personalidad지뢰 메이크 하는 사람에게 「지뢰녀네」는 실례다 (지뢰 메이크를 한 사람에게 '지뢰녀'라고 부르는 것은 무례하다 — 메이크업은 스타일이지 성격 꼬리표가 아니다)
Common Mistakes
- Assuming 地雷メイク means the person is emotionally unstable — many people wear it purely as an aesthetic choice
- Confusing 地雷メイク with ゴスロリ — they overlap but are distinct styles
Origin & History
Emerged around 2020 from the 地雷系 (jirai-kei) subculture, which describes women who appear cute but are emotionally unstable — like stepping on a landmine. The makeup style was popularized through TikTok tutorials and became a mainstream trend, especially among teens and young women in their 20s.
Cultural Context
Era: 2020-2021 mainstream breakout
Generation: Gen Z, teens and women in their 20s
Social background: Youth fashion, especially among beauty and idol fans
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Heavily promoted through TikTok and YouTube beauty creators. Often associated with the Kabukicho and Harajuku fashion scenes.
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