ウケる
Meaning: An exclamation meaning 'that's hilarious' or 'LOL,' used to react to something genuinely funny.
ウケる literally means 'to receive' (受ける) but in slang it means something 'lands well' comedically — i.e., it gets a laugh. It functions as the spoken/texted equivalent of LOL or 'I'm dying.' Women and younger speakers use it especially often. The past tense ウケた and the super-emphatic 超ウケる are equally common.
Examples
- その話超ウケるんだけど! 那个故事也太搞笑了吧!¡Esa historia es para partirse de risa!그 얘기 완전 웃긴데!
- 先生が黒板に変な絵描いてて、みんなウケてた。 老师在黑板上画了个奇怪的画,大家都笑疯了。El profesor dibujó algo raro en la pizarra y todos se estaban riendo.선생님이 칠판에 이상한 그림 그리고 있어서 다들 웃고 있었어.
- あの動画見た?ウケるからマジで見て。 你看了那个视频吗?超搞笑的,真的去看看。¿Has visto ese vídeo? Es para morirse, de verdad míralo.그 영상 봤어? 웃기니까 진짜 봐봐.
Pronunciation
/ɯ.ke.ɾɯ/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, social media, texting
Tone: amused, laughing, lighthearted
✓ Do Say
- え、何それウケる! (Wait, what? That's hilarious!)え、何それウケる!(等等,什么?笑死了!)Espera, ¿qué? ¡Me parto!え、何それウケる! (어, 뭐야 그거 완전 웃기잖아!)
- ウケるんだけど、猫がまた変な寝方してる。 (LOL, the cat is sleeping in a weird position again.)ウケるんだけど、猫がまた変な寝方してる。(笑死,猫又用奇怪的姿势睡觉了。)Me muero de risa, el gato está durmiendo en una postura rarísima otra vez.ウケるんだけど、猫がまた変な寝方してる。 (ㅋㅋㅋ 고양이가 또 이상한 자세로 자고 있어.)
✗ Don't Say
- 深刻な話をしている人に「ウケる」と言わない (Don't say 'ukeru' to someone sharing a serious or sad story — it sounds dismissive)不要对正在倾诉严肃或悲伤事情的人说「ウケる」——会显得很不当回事No le digas 'ukeru' a alguien que está contando algo serio o triste — suena despectivo深刻な話をしている人に「ウケる」と言わない (심각하거나 슬픈 이야기를 하는 사람에게 'ウケる'라고 하지 말 것 — 무시하는 것처럼 들린다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ウケる when someone is being unintentionally funny in an embarrassing way — it can come across as mocking
- Confusing the slang meaning with the standard verb 受ける (to receive/take an exam)
Origin & History
From the verb 受ける (ukeru, to receive). In comedy, 受ける means a joke 'lands' or 'gets a good reception.' The slang usage emerged in the 1990s-2000s among young women and spread widely through texting and social media.
Cultural Context
Era: 1990s-2000s, spread through gyaru culture and texting
Generation: Teens to 30s, slightly more common among women
Social background: Casual youth speech
Regional notes: Used across Japan. In Kansai, おもろい (omoroi) is often preferred over ウケる for 'funny.'
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