グッジョブ

• Reading: グッジョブ
• Romaji: gujjobu
• Kanji breakdown: From English 'good job' — adopted as a casual praise expression
• Pronunciation: /ɡɯd.dʑo.bɯ/

Meaning

Good job! — an encouraging exclamation borrowed from English to praise someone's work or effort.

Borrowed directly from English 'good job,' グッジョブ entered Japanese through workplace culture and internet communities. It is lighter and more playful than formal Japanese praise, making it popular among colleagues and friends. Often accompanied by a thumbs-up gesture. While understood by most Japanese speakers, it retains a slightly foreign, casual feel compared to native equivalents.

Examples

1. 納期前に終わらせたの？グッジョブ！ You finished before the deadline? Good job!
2. プレゼン大成功だったね、グッジョブ。 The presentation was a huge success — good job.
3. バグ見つけて直してくれたんだ、グッジョブすぎる。 You found and fixed the bug? That's beyond good job.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace (casual), friends, gaming, internet

Tone: encouraging, cheerful, supportive

Do Say

• テスト満点？グッジョブ！ (Full marks on the test? Good job!)
• 期限内に全部終わらせたの、グッジョブだね (Finishing everything before the deadline — good job)

Don't Say

• 上司に向かって「グッジョブ」は失礼 (Saying 'gujjobu' to your boss is rude — it implies a downward evaluation)

Common Mistakes

• Using グッジョブ toward superiors — it is praise directed downward or laterally, never upward
• Spelling it as グッドジョブ — the contracted form グッジョブ is standard in Japanese

Origin & History

From English 'good job.' Entered Japanese through American workplace culture influence and internet communities in the 2000s. The thumbs-up emoji 👍 is often associated with it.

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s adoption, internet culture popularisation

Generation: 20s-40s primarily

Social background: Casual workplace, internet culture

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. More common in tech and creative industries where English loanwords are frequent. Often paired with thumbs-up gestures or emojis. The full form グッドジョブ exists but is less common.