厨二病

• Reading: ちゅうにびょう
• Romaji: chuunibyou
• Kanji breakdown: 厨 (kitchen/internet slang for middle school) + 二 (two/second) + 病 (illness) → second-year middle school syndrome
• Pronunciation: /tɕɯː.ni.bjoː/

Meaning

Middle school syndrome — the embarrassing phase where teens act like edgy anime protagonists with dark powers and tragic backstories.

厨二病 describes the cringe-inducing behavior common among early teens who believe they have hidden powers, a dark past, or special knowledge that sets them apart from ordinary people. While originally a self-aware internet joke coined by radio host Hikaru Ijūin, it has become a widely recognized cultural concept. It can be used self-deprecatingly about one's own past or to tease someone who is being overly dramatic.

Examples

1. 中学の頃、黒い手袋して学校行ってたの完全に厨二病だったわ。 Wearing black gloves to school back in middle school was peak chuunibyou.
2. あいつまだ厨二病こじらせてるよな、見てて恥ずかしい。 That guy's still deep in his chuunibyou phase — it's painful to watch.
3. 厨二病キャラって意外と人気あるよね。 Chuunibyou characters are surprisingly popular, right?

Usage Guide

Context: friends, social media, anime discussion, self-deprecation

Tone: teasing, nostalgic, humorous

Do Say

• 黒歴史見返したら厨二病全開でやばかった (I looked back at my dark history and it was full-on chuunibyou, so cringe)
• 誰でも厨二病の時期あるよね (Everyone goes through a chuunibyou phase, right?)

Don't Say

• 精神的な病気の人に「厨二病」は失礼 (Don't call someone with actual mental health issues 'chuunibyou' — it trivializes illness)

Common Mistakes

• Thinking 厨二病 only applies to actual middle schoolers — adults can exhibit it too
• Confusing 厨二病 with genuine antisocial behavior rather than harmless cringe

Origin & History

Coined by radio personality Hikaru Ijūin (伊集院光) in 1999 on his radio show. The term combines 厨 (internet slang for 中 as in 中学生/middle schooler) with 二 (second year) and 病 (illness). Popularized through anime like Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! (2012).

Cultural Context

Era: 1999 coinage, 2010s anime popularization

Generation: Millennials and Gen Z

Social background: Otaku culture, now mainstream

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Universally understood thanks to popular anime adaptations.