まじか
Meaning: An expression of disbelief meaning 'for real?' or 'seriously?' — one of the most common reactions in texting.
まじか is the casual question form of マジ (maji, seriously). It is the texting equivalent of 'are you serious?' or 'no way.' In hiragana, it feels softer and more natural in text than the katakana マジか. It works as a standalone reaction to surprising, shocking, or unbelievable news — both positive and negative. One of the most frequently sent single-word messages in Japanese texting, alongside え and うそ.
Examples
- まじか、あの店閉まったの? まじか,那家店关了?¿En serio? ¿Han cerrado esa tienda?진짜, 그 가게 문 닫았어?
- 彼氏できた?まじか!おめでとう! 你交男朋友了?まじか!恭喜!¿Tienes novio? ¡¿En serio?! ¡Enhorabuena!남자친구 생겼어? 진짜! 축하해!
- まじか…それはきついな。 まじか……那可真够受的。Madre mía… eso es muy duro.진짜… 그건 힘들겠다.
Pronunciation
/ma.dʑi.ka/
Usage Guide
Context: texting, casual conversation, LINE, social media
Tone: surprised, disbelieving
✓ Do Say
- まじか、知らなかった (For real? I had no idea)まじか、知らなかった(真的假的?我完全不知道)まじか、知らなかった (¿En serio? No tenía ni idea)まじか、知らなかった (진짜? 몰랐어)
- まじか!やばいね (Seriously!? That's crazy)まじか!やばいね(不是吧!?太离谱了)まじか!やばいね (¡¿En serio?! ¡Qué fuerte!)まじか!やばいね (진짜!? 대박이다)
✗ Don't Say
- 上司に「まじか」は失礼 (Saying 'majika' to your boss is rude — say 本当ですか)对上司说「まじか」是失礼的(应该说本当ですか)上司に「まじか」は失礼 (Decir 'majika' a tu jefe es una falta de respeto — se dice 本当ですか)윗사람에게 「まじか」는 실례이다 (윗사람에게 'まじか'는 실례이니 本当ですか라고 할 것)
Common Mistakes
- Using まじか in formal situations — it is casual register only
- Not varying between まじか (neutral surprise), まじか! (excited), and まじか… (dismayed)
Origin & History
From マジ (maji, seriously, from 真面目/majime) + か (question particle). The casual question form has been standard since the 2000s. The all-hiragana version まじか became the texting default.
Cultural Context
Era: 2000s-present casual speech
Generation: All ages in casual settings
Social background: Universal casual
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the most common single-word reactions in texting.
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