いじる

• Reading: いじる
• Romaji: ijiru
• Pronunciation: /i.dʑi.ɾɯ/

Meaning

Teasing someone playfully for laughs; ribbing or poking fun at someone in a group setting.

いじる originally means 'to fiddle with' or 'to tinker,' but in modern slang it means playfully teasing someone to get laughs from the group. Japanese comedy culture, especially manzai, revolves around the dynamic of いじる — the boke (funny man) gets いじられ (teased) by the tsukkomi (straight man). In social groups, being the いじられキャラ (the person who gets teased) is a recognised role. The line between fun teasing and bullying can be thin.

Examples

1. あいつはいじるとおもしろいリアクションするから人気者だよ。 He's popular because he gives hilarious reactions when you tease him.
2. いじりすぎて泣かせちゃってマジ反省した。 I teased them too much and made them cry — I seriously regret it.
3. いじられるの嫌いじゃないけど、限度はあるよね。 I don't mind being teased, but there's a limit, you know?

Usage Guide

Context: friends, comedy, school, TV variety shows

Tone: playful, humorous, potentially risky

Do Say

• いじっても大丈夫な空気かどうか見極めるのが大事。 (It's important to read the atmosphere and judge whether teasing is okay.)
• いじられて美味しいと思えるのも才能だよ。 (Being able to take teasing and turn it into something funny is a talent.)

Don't Say

• 本人が嫌がってるのに「いじってるだけ」は言い訳にならない (Saying 'I'm just teasing' when the person is clearly upset is not an excuse)

Common Mistakes

• Not recognising the fine line between いじる (playful teasing) and いじめ (bullying) — context, consent, and the target's reaction determine the difference

Origin & History

Originally meaning 'to fiddle with' or 'to handle,' いじる evolved its teasing meaning through 1990s comedy culture, especially TV variety shows and manzai. The いじり-いじられ dynamic became a central element of Japanese group humour.

Cultural Context

Era: 1990s, driven by TV comedy and manzai culture

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Especially prominent in Kansai culture where comedy and teasing are deeply embedded in daily communication. The いじり culture on variety shows has been debated as sometimes crossing into bullying.