とりま
Meaning: For now, anyway, first of all — an abbreviation used to move conversation along.
A contracted form of とりあえず、まあ (toriaezu, mā — 'for now, well...'). Used as a conversation filler to mean 'anyway,' 'for starters,' or 'first of all.' Extremely common in casual youth speech and texting as a way to quickly transition to the next topic or suggest an immediate action without overthinking.
Examples
- とりま集合してから決めよう。 总之先集合了再决定吧。Torima, quedamos y luego decidimos.토리마 모여서 정하자.
- とりま写真撮ろ、映えるとこ見つけた。 总之先拍照吧,找到了个出片的地方。Torima, vamos a hacernos una foto, he encontrado un sitio que queda bien.토리마 사진 찍자, 인스타감성 있는 데 찾았어.
- 何食べるか迷うけどとりまカフェ入ろう。 虽然纠结吃什么,但总之先进咖啡店吧。No sé qué comer, pero torima, vamos a entrar en una cafetería.뭐 먹을지 고민되는데 토리마 카페 들어가자.
Pronunciation
/to.ɾi.ma/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, texting, casual conversation
Tone: casual, transitional, easygoing
✓ Do Say
- とりま行ってみようよ (Let's just go for now)总之先去看看吧(反正先去看看吧)とりま行ってみようよ (Torima, vamos a ir y ya veremos)토리마 가보자 (일단 가보자)
- とりま落ち着こう (Let's calm down first anyway)总之先冷静下来(反正先冷静一下)とりま落ち着こう (Torima, calmemos primero)토리마 진정하자 (어쨌든 일단 진정하자)
✗ Don't Say
- プレゼンで「とりまこれ見てください」はNG (Saying 'torima, please look at this' in a presentation is inappropriate)在演讲中说'とりま请看这个'是不合适的(在演讲中说'torima,请看这个'是不恰当的)プレゼンで「とりまこれ見てください」はNG (Decir 'torima, mirad esto' en una presentación es inapropiado)프레젠테이션에서 '토리마 이것 좀 봐주세요'는 부적절함 (발표에서 '토리마 이것 좀 봐주세요'라고 하면 부적절하다)
Common Mistakes
- Using it in any professional or semi-formal situation — it is very casual abbreviated slang
- Not knowing it comes from とりあえずまあ — the abbreviation is not obvious to non-native speakers
Origin & History
Abbreviated from とりあえず (toriaezu, 'for now/first of all') + まあ (mā, 'well'). Became widespread youth slang in the 2010s as a quick, casual way to say 'anyway' or 'for now.'
Cultural Context
Era: Early 2010s youth slang
Generation: Gen Z and young Millennials
Social background: Youth culture, universal casual speech
Regional notes: Used across Japan. One of the most established youth abbreviations, now over a decade old but still actively used.
More From This Topic
More from Gen-Z & Youth Slang
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free