キャリー

• Reading: キャリー
• Romaji: kyarī
• Kanji breakdown: From English 'carry' — to carry the team on your back to victory
• Pronunciation: /kja.ɾi.ː/

Meaning

Carry — when one skilled player single-handedly leads their team to victory by performing exceptionally well.

Borrowed from English MOBA terminology, キャリー describes a player who 'carries' their teammates on their back to a win. It can be used as a verb (キャリーする) or a noun describing the role. The term implies the other team members are underperforming or weaker, making one player's excellence the deciding factor. It is generally positive when self-referencing but can be condescending toward teammates.

Examples

1. フレンドにキャリーしてもらってランク上がった。 My friend carried me and I ranked up.
2. 一人でキャリーするの疲れるから固定組みたい。 I'm tired of solo carrying, so I want to find a regular team.
3. 味方が弱すぎてキャリーしきれなかった。 My teammates were too weak and I couldn't carry hard enough.

Usage Guide

Context: team games, competitive gaming, streaming

Tone: proud, humorous

Do Say

• 今日はキャリーしてもらったわ、ありがとう (You carried me today, thanks)
• キャリーできる実力つけたい (I want to get good enough to carry)

Don't Say

• 「キャリーしてやった」は味方を見下してるように聞こえる ('I carried you' sounds condescending to teammates)

Common Mistakes

• Using キャリー boastfully in team chat — it implies your teammates were dead weight

Origin & History

From English MOBA term 'carry.' Entered Japanese gaming vocabulary in the 2010s with the rise of team-based competitive games like League of Legends and Apex Legends.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s MOBA and team game culture

Generation: Team game players (teens-30s)

Social background: Competitive gaming community

Regional notes: Used nationwide in team-based gaming. Especially common in Apex Legends, Valorant, and League of Legends communities.