パクる
Meaning: To copy, rip off, or steal someone's idea, design, or work — intellectual theft in a casual register.
パクる covers a range from petty copying to blatant plagiarism. It is used when someone copies a hairstyle, steals a joke, imitates a design, or plagiarises content. The word can also mean physically stealing something, though this usage is less common. The noun form パクリ (pakuri) describes the copied product itself. It is always negative — there is no neutral or positive use.
Examples
- あのデザイン完全にパクってるよね、訴えられないのかな。 那个设计完全是抄的吧,不会被告吗?Ese diseño es un plagio total, ¿no les van a demandar?그 디자인 완전 베낀 거 아냐, 고소 안 당하려나.
- 友達のアイデアパクったらバレてめっちゃ気まずかった。 抄了朋友的点子结果被发现了,尴尬死了。Copié la idea de un amigo, me pillaron y fue superincómodo.친구 아이디어를 베꼈다가 들켜서 엄청 민망했다.
- パクりって言われたくないから自分で一から考えた。 不想被说抄袭,所以从头到尾自己想的。No quería que me acusaran de plagio así que lo pensé todo desde cero.베꼈다는 소리 듣기 싫어서 직접 처음부터 생각했어.
Pronunciation
/pa.kɯ.ɾɯ/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, social media, creative industries, internet culture
Tone: accusatory, critical
✓ Do Say
- それ完全にパクりじゃん。 (That's a total rip-off.)那完全就是抄的吧。Eso es un plagio total.그거 완전 베낀 거잖아. (그거 완전 표절이야.)
- あの曲、有名な洋楽パクってない? (Doesn't that song rip off a famous Western track?)那首歌是不是抄了一首有名的欧美歌?¿Esa canción no es un calco de un tema famoso en inglés?그 노래, 유명한 팝송 베끼지 않았어? (그 노래, 유명한 서양 곡 표절 아냐?)
✗ Don't Say
- 「参考にしました」と言うべきところで「パクりました」は問題 (Saying 'I ripped it off' instead of 'I took inspiration' is problematic in professional contexts)本该说'我参考了一下'的场合却说'我抄了',在职场上是有问题的Decir 'lo plagié' en vez de 'me inspiré en ello' es problemático en contextos profesionales.'참고했습니다'라고 해야 할 상황에서 '베꼈습니다'라고 하면 문제가 된다 (전문적인 맥락에서 '도용했습니다'라고 하면 문제가 된다 — '영감을 받았습니다'라고 해야 한다)
Common Mistakes
- Using パクる for legitimate inspiration or homage — パクる always implies dishonest copying, not respectful reference
Origin & History
Possibly from パクッと (the onomatopoeia for gobbling something up in one bite) — metaphorically 'swallowing' someone else's idea whole. Another theory links it to 捕まる (tsukamaru, to be caught) via police slang. Common since at least the 1960s-70s.
Cultural Context
Era: 1960s-70s slang, still current and widely used
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Frequently comes up in discussions about music, design, and content creation.
More From This Topic
More from Classic Slang (Still Used)
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free