号泣

• Reading: ごうきゅう
• Romaji: gōkyū
• Kanji breakdown: 号 (gō, to cry out/call loudly) + 泣 (kyū, to cry/weep) — literally 'cry-out crying,' implying loud, intense sobbing.
• Pronunciation: /ɡoː.kjuː/

Meaning

Bawling or ugly crying — crying intensely and uncontrollably, often loudly.

While 号泣 is a real Japanese word meaning 'wailing,' it has taken on exaggerated slang usage on social media where people use it to describe crying hard at movies, manga, music, or touching stories. In slang contexts it is often used somewhat hyperbolically — you might not literally be wailing, but you cried much harder than expected. Frequently appears in the pattern 号泣した (gōkyū shita, 'I bawled').

Examples

1. あのアニメの最終回、号泣しすぎて目が腫れた。 I bawled so hard at that anime's final episode that my eyes were swollen.
2. 卒業式でみんなの前で号泣しちゃって恥ずかしかった。 I was embarrassed because I started bawling in front of everyone at the graduation ceremony.
3. 推しの引退発表を見て号泣した。 I bawled my eyes out when I saw my favorite idol's retirement announcement.

Usage Guide

Context: social media, friends, entertainment reactions

Tone: dramatic, emotional, sometimes self-deprecating

Do Say

• 映画観て号泣したの久しぶりだった。 (It's been a while since I bawled watching a movie.)
• あのMV号泣注意だから覚悟して見て。 (That music video is a guaranteed cry-fest, so brace yourself.)

Don't Say

• フォーマルな場で「号泣しました」は子供っぽく聞こえることがある (Saying 'gōkyū shimashita' in formal settings can sound childish or overly dramatic)

Common Mistakes

• Using 号泣 when you only teared up slightly — it specifically implies loud, intense crying, so overuse dilutes the impact

Origin & History

Composed of 号 (gō, to cry out/wail) and 泣 (kyū, to cry). A classical compound that has been in Japanese for centuries, but gained new life as internet/social media slang for dramatically intense crying.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical word, slang usage popularised in 2010s social media era

Generation: All ages, especially 10s-30s on social media

Social background: Universal informal, common in otaku and fan communities

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Very common on Twitter/X as a reaction to emotional content.