イケボ
Meaning
A hot or attractive voice — abbreviation of イケメンボイス, describing someone whose voice is cool, deep, or appealing.
イケボ is primarily used to praise someone's attractive voice, especially a deep or cool male voice. It became popular with the rise of voice-centric content like Vocaloid, voice acting (声優), radio shows, and streaming/VTuber culture where voice quality is paramount. While originally focused on male voices, it can occasionally be used for women with notably cool or husky voices. The counterpart カワボ describes a cute voice.
Examples
- あの配信者イケボすぎて聴いてるだけで幸せ。 That streamer's voice is so attractive — just listening makes me happy.
- 電話したらイケボでびっくりした。 I was surprised by how hot their voice was on the phone.
- イケボの朗読動画にハマってる。 I'm hooked on audiobook videos with attractive voices.
Usage Guide
Context: social media, streaming, voice acting fandom, casual conversation
Tone: complimentary, admiring
Do Say
- この声優さん、マジでイケボだよね。 (This voice actor seriously has a hot voice.)
- イケボで「おはよう」って言われたら惚れるわ。 (If someone with a hot voice said 'good morning' to me, I'd fall for them.)
Don't Say
- 初対面の人に「イケボですね」 (Telling someone they have an イケボ when you've just met can be awkward or overly forward)
Common Mistakes
- Thinking イケボ only applies to deep voices — it can describe any voice that sounds attractive, cool, or captivating
- Using イケボ in formal contexts — it is a casual compliment term
Origin & History
Abbreviated from イケメンボイス (ikemen boisu, 'handsome-man voice'). Emerged from voice acting and internet culture in the 2010s as voice-centric content (Vocaloid, niconico, VTubers) grew in popularity.
Cultural Context
Era: 2010s, from voice acting and streaming culture
Generation: Millennials and Gen Z
Social background: Anime, streaming, and internet culture
Regional notes: Used across Japan, particularly in online communities focused on voice content, VTubers, and voice acting.
Related Phrases
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation and spaced repetition