拡散

• Reading: かくさん
• Romaji: kakusan
• Kanji breakdown: 拡 (expand/spread) + 散 (scatter) → spread widely
• Pronunciation: /ka.ku.saŋ/

Meaning

To spread or share widely — used for retweeting, reposting, or making content go viral on social media.

While 拡散 originally means 'diffusion' or 'spreading' in standard Japanese, on social media it has become the go-to word for sharing content to a wider audience. Phrases like 拡散希望 (please share/RT) are ubiquitous on Twitter/X. The term implies intentional amplification — asking followers to help something reach more people.

Examples

1. この情報大事だから拡散してほしい。 This info is important so I want people to share it.
2. 拡散希望って書いたら一気にバズった。 I wrote 'please share' and it instantly went viral.
3. デマを拡散するのはマジでやめてほしい。 I really wish people would stop spreading misinformation.

Usage Guide

Context: social media, Twitter/X, news sharing

Tone: urgent, promotional

Do Say

• 拡散してくれたら嬉しいです！ (I'd appreciate it if you could share this!)
• 拡散されてバズっちゃった。 (It got shared around and went viral.)

Don't Say

• 未確認の情報に「拡散希望」をつけるとデマ拡散に加担することになる (Adding 'please share' to unverified info makes you complicit in spreading misinformation)

Common Mistakes

• Overusing 拡散希望 — it can come across as spammy if used too often
• Not distinguishing between 拡散 (spread) and リツイート (retweet) — 拡散 is broader and platform-agnostic

Origin & History

拡散 (diffusion/spreading) has been a standard Japanese word, but gained its social media meaning with Twitter's rise in Japan around 2010. 拡散希望 (requesting shares) became one of the most recognisable Twitter phrases in Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s social media era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal (any social media user)

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Especially prominent on Twitter/X, where Japan ranks among the top user bases globally.