きゃぱい

• Reading: きゃぱい
• Romaji: kyapai
• Pronunciation: /kja.pa.i/

Meaning

A slang term meaning 'at capacity' or 'can't handle anymore' — from キャパシティ (capacity) blended with the しんどい/やばい feeling.

きゃぱい merges キャパ (kyapa, short for キャパシティ/capacity) with the adjective ending -い (suggesting やばい or しんどい). It describes the state of being at your limit — whether from work, social obligations, emotions, or information overload. More expressive than just '忙しい' (busy) because it specifically conveys that one has reached maximum capacity. Common among young adults on social media when expressing overwhelm.

Examples

1. タスク多すぎてきゃぱい。 I've got way too many tasks — I'm at capacity.
2. 予定詰め込みすぎてもうきゃぱい。 I crammed my schedule too full, I'm totally maxed out.
3. 情報量がきゃぱいから後で読むね。 There's too much info to process so I'll read it later.

Usage Guide

Context: texting, social media, youth culture

Tone: overwhelmed, stressed

Do Say

• もうきゃぱいから休む (I'm at capacity so I'm resting)
• 今週きゃぱいわ (I'm maxed out this week)

Don't Say

• 職場で「きゃぱい」は通じにくい (Using 'kyapai' at work may not be understood — say キャパオーバーです)

Common Mistakes

• Using きゃぱい with people unfamiliar with newer slang
• Not knowing it comes from キャパシティ (capacity)

Origin & History

Blend of キャパ (from English 'capacity') + -い (adjective suffix, echoing words like やばい/しんどい). Emerged in late 2010s-2020s youth/social media language.

Cultural Context

Era: Late 2010s-2020s youth slang

Generation: Teens to mid-20s

Social background: Youth culture

Regional notes: Used across Japan primarily by younger demographics. Still relatively new and not universally known.