ゆるい
Meaning: Loose or chill — describes something relaxed, laid-back, and not strict or intense.
Beyond its literal meaning of physically loose or slack, ゆるい describes an atmosphere, person, or activity that is relaxed and unhurried. It carries a positive connotation — something ゆるい is pleasantly low-pressure and comfortable. Common in descriptions of workplaces (ゆるい職場 = chill workplace), relationships, hobbies, and content. The related ゆるキャラ (loose characters = cute mascots) shows how embedded this concept is in Japanese culture.
Examples
- この職場ゆるくて居心地いい。 这个公司很佛系,待着很舒服。Este trabajo es relajado y se está muy a gusto.이 직장 느슨해서 편해.
- ゆるい感じのカフェ見つけたから今度行こう。 发现了一家很悠闲的咖啡店,下次一起去吧。He encontrado una cafetería con buen rollo, vamos un día.느긋한 느낌의 카페 찾았으니까 다음에 가자.
- 今日はゆるい予定だからのんびりしよう。 今天行程很松散,悠闲地度过吧。Hoy tengo un plan tranqui, así que vamos con calma.오늘은 느슨한 일정이니까 여유롭게 보내자.
Pronunciation
/ju.ɾu.i/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, social media, casual conversation
Tone: relaxed, positive
✓ Do Say
- ゆるい雰囲気のバーが好き。 (I like bars with a chill vibe.)我喜欢氛围很佛系的酒吧。(我喜欢氛围悠闲的酒吧。)Me gustan los bares con ambiente relajado. (I like bars with a chill vibe.)느긋한 분위기의 바가 좋아. (편안한 분위기의 바를 좋아해.)
- この授業ゆるくて楽。 (This class is laid-back and easy.)这门课很佛系,轻松。(这门课很松散,很轻松。)Esta clase es relajada y cómoda. (This class is laid-back and easy.)이 수업 느슨해서 편해. (이 수업은 부담 없어서 좋아.)
✗ Don't Say
- 上司に「この会社ゆるいですね」はだらしないと思われる (Telling your boss 'this company is yurui' might be taken as calling it slack or sloppy)对上司说「这个公司很佛系呢」可能被当成在说公司散漫(跟上司说'这个公司很佛系'可能会被理解为在说公司管理松散)Decirle al jefe «esta empresa es muy relajada» puede interpretarse como que es descuidada o poco seria (Telling your boss 'this company is yurui' might be taken as calling it slack or sloppy)상사에게 「이 회사 느슨하네요」는 나태하다고 여겨질 수 있음 (상사에게 '이 회사 유루이네요'라고 하면 나태하거나 허술하다는 뜻으로 받아들여질 수 있다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ゆるい negatively when it is usually positive in slang — it means pleasantly relaxed, not negligent
- Confusing ゆるい with だらしない (sloppy) — ゆるい is intentionally relaxed, だらしない is carelessly messy
Origin & History
From the adjective ゆるい (loose/slack), which expanded from describing physical looseness to a positive descriptor of relaxed atmospheres and lifestyles. The ゆるキャラ (cute mascot) boom of the 2000s-2010s helped popularise the positive connotation.
Cultural Context
Era: 2000s-2010s, boosted by ゆるキャラ boom
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across Japan. The ゆるキャラ (cute mascot) movement made ゆるい a universally positive descriptor of anything charmingly relaxed.
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