草超えて森

• Reading: くさこえてもり
• Romaji: kusa koete mori
• Kanji breakdown: 草 (grass/LOL) + 超えて (surpassing) + 森 (forest) → surpassing LOL into a forest of laughter
• Pronunciation: /ku.sa.ko.e.te.mo.ɾi/

Meaning

Beyond LOL — so funny it surpasses mere grass (laughter) and becomes an entire forest.

An escalation of the internet slang 草 (kusa, 'grass' = LOL). Since 草 means laughter, 草超えて森 means something is so hilarious it goes beyond grass to become a whole forest. Part of a chain of escalating laughter expressions: 草 → 大草原 → 草超えて森 → ジャングル. Used when something is extraordinarily funny.

Examples

1. あの動画草超えて森なんだけど見て。 That video is beyond LOL — you have to watch it.
2. 自分の失敗談話したら友達に草超えて森って言われた。 I told my embarrassing story and my friend said it was beyond LOL.
3. テスト中に友達と目が合って草超えて森だった。 I made eye contact with my friend during a test and it was way past LOL territory.

Usage Guide

Context: social media, online chat, friends

Tone: humorous, escalating

Do Say

• 草超えて森ｗｗｗ (Beyond LOL, I'm dying laughing)
• もう草超えて森すぎて息できない (It's so far beyond LOL I can't breathe)

Don't Say

• ネットスラングを知らない人に使っても通じない (Using it with people unfamiliar with internet slang won't be understood)

Common Mistakes

• Not knowing the hierarchy: 草 → 大草原 → 草超えて森 → ジャングル
• Using it without understanding the grass = laughter metaphor (wwwww → 草)

Origin & History

An evolution of internet laughter slang. 草 (grass = LOL) comes from wwwww resembling grass. 大草原 (vast grassland) escalated it, and 草超えて森 (surpassing grass into forest) escalated further. Originated on 2channel/5channel and spread to mainstream social media.

Cultural Context

Era: Late 2010s, evolved from 2000s internet culture

Generation: Gen Z and internet-savvy Millennials

Social background: Internet culture, SNS users

Regional notes: Used across Japan online. Part of the evolving internet laughter vocabulary that started with w and 草 on Japanese bulletin boards.