草
Meaning: The Japanese internet equivalent of 'LOL,' used to express amusement or laughter online.
Originally, Japanese internet users typed 笑 (warau, 'laugh') or its abbreviation 'w' at the end of messages. Chains of 'w' (e.g., wwwww) visually resemble blades of grass, which led to 草 (kusa, 'grass') becoming slang for laughter. It can be used alone as a reaction or appended to a sentence. The intensified form 大草原 (dai sōgen, 'vast grassland') means something is extremely funny.
Examples
- さっきの動画見た?マジで草なんだけど。 你看了刚才那个视频吗?真的笑死我了。¿Has visto el vídeo de antes? Es que me muero de risa.아까 그 영상 봤어? 진짜 草(풀)인데ㅋㅋ.
- 自分で転んでるのに怒ってるの草すぎる。 自己摔倒了还在生气,笑死人了。Se cae solo y encima se enfada, es para partirse.자기가 넘어졌으면서 화내는 거 草(풀) 넘치네ㅋㅋ.
- 朝起きたら猫が顔の上で寝てて草。 早上醒来发现猫睡在我脸上,笑死。Me desperté por la mañana y el gato estaba dormido encima de mi cara, no puedo más.아침에 일어났더니 고양이가 얼굴 위에서 자고 있어서 草(풀)ㅋㅋ.
Pronunciation
/ku.sa/
Usage Guide
Context: social media, online chat, video comments
Tone: humorous, reactive
✓ Do Say
- それ草 (That's hilarious)那个太搞笑了(That's hilarious)それ草 (Eso es para morirse de risa)それ草 (그거 완전 웃기네ㅋㅋ)
- 草生えるわこれ (This is cracking me up)笑得停不下来了(This is cracking me up)草生えるわこれ (Esto me está matando de risa)草生えるわこれ (이거 진짜 웃겨 죽겠어ㅋㅋㅋ)
✗ Don't Say
- 仕事のメールで「草」と書く (Don't write 'kusa' in work emails — it's internet-only slang)不要在工作邮件中写'草'——这是纯网络用语仕事のメールで「草」と書く (No escribas 'kusa' en correos de trabajo — es argot exclusivo de internet)仕事のメールで「草」と書く (업무 이메일에 '쿠사'를 쓰지 마세요 — 인터넷 전용 슬랭입니다)
Common Mistakes
- Using 草 in spoken conversation outside of ironic or humorous contexts — it is primarily a written/online term
- Not understanding 大草原 (vast grassland) as an intensified version meaning 'extremely funny'
Origin & History
Evolved from the Japanese internet practice of appending 'w' (from 笑う, warau) after text to indicate laughter. Multiple w's (wwwww) visually resemble grass, leading to 草 (grass) being used as a synonym. Popularized on Nico Nico Douga and 2channel in the late 2000s.
Cultural Context
Era: Late 2000s, mainstream by 2010s
Generation: Millennials and Gen Z
Social background: Internet-savvy users
Regional notes: Used across Japan in online spaces. Rarely spoken aloud except ironically among friends.
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