キモい

• Reading: キモい
• Romaji: kimoi
• Kanji breakdown: Shortened from 気持ち悪い (kimochi warui): 気持ち (feeling) + 悪い (bad) → feels gross
• Pronunciation: /ki.mo.i/

Meaning

Gross, creepy, or disgusting — a blunt expression of revulsion toward something or someone perceived as repulsive.

Shortened from 気持ち悪い (kimochi warui, 'feels bad/disgusting'), キモい packs the same punch in fewer syllables. It is used to express visceral disgust at appearances, behaviour, or situations. Among younger speakers it can be thrown around casually, but it remains a genuinely hurtful word when directed at a person. It is one of the harshest casual insults in everyday Japanese.

Examples

1. あの人ずっとこっち見てるんだけど、キモくない？ That person keeps staring over here — isn't that creepy?
2. キモいこと言うなよ、鳥肌立つから。 Don't say gross stuff like that, it gives me goosebumps.
3. SNSでキモいDM送ってくるやつ本当に無理。 I seriously can't deal with people who send creepy DMs on social media.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, social media, casual conversation

Tone: disgusted, blunt

Do Say

• この虫キモい！近づけないで！ (This bug is gross! Don't bring it near me!)
• キモいって思ったら素直に距離置く。 (If I think someone's creepy, I honestly just keep my distance.)

Don't Say

• 人に直接「キモい」は相当キツい言葉 — 冗談でも傷つく (Saying 'kimoi' directly to someone is extremely harsh — it hurts even as a joke)

Common Mistakes

• Using キモい in any formal or semi-formal setting — it is always rude
• Not realising how hurtful キモい is when directed at a person — it is much stronger than 'a bit gross'

Origin & History

Abbreviated from 気持ち悪い (kimochi warui) in the 1990s by shortening to キモい. Became standard youth vocabulary by the 2000s and is now universally understood.

Cultural Context

Era: 1990s abbreviation, mainstream by 2000s

Generation: All ages (especially teens and 20s)

Social background: Universal informal

Regional notes: Used nationwide. The full form 気持ち悪い is also common and slightly less blunt.