あざす

• Reading: あざす
• Romaji: azasu
• Pronunciation: /a.za.sɯ/

Meaning

A very casual 'thanks,' created by slurring ありがとうございます into a quick, informal abbreviation.

あざす is a maximally compressed version of ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu), achieved through casual pronunciation slurring: ありがとうございます → あざーっす → あざす. It's extremely casual and used mainly among young men in casual texting, friend groups, and some workplace banter. It walks a fine line between friendly and too sloppy.

Examples

1. コーヒーありがとう、あざす！ Thanks for the coffee, thx!
2. あざす、マジ助かった。 Thx, you really saved me.
3. お菓子もらった、あざす〜。 Got some snacks, thx~

Usage Guide

Context: texting, friends, casual conversation

Tone: casual, slangy, quick

Do Say

• あざす！めっちゃ嬉しい (Thanks! I'm so happy)
• 奢ってくれたの？あざす！ (You treated me? Thanks!)

Don't Say

• 先輩やバイト先の店長に「あざす」は失礼 (Saying 'azasu' to seniors or your part-time job manager is disrespectful — use ありがとうございます)

Common Mistakes

• Using あざす with anyone who isn't a close friend or peer — it's very informal
• Writing it in any professional context, even casual workplace chat

Origin & History

A phonetic compression of ありがとうございます through casual speech slurring. The intermediate form あざーっす has been used in spoken Japanese since the 2000s, and the further-shortened あざす became standard in texting.

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s casual speech, texting from 2010s

Generation: Teens to 20s, more common among young men

Social background: Youth casual

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Considered quite sloppy by older generations.