好きピ

• Reading: すきピ
• Romaji: sukipi
• Kanji breakdown: 好 (like/love) + ピ (cute suffix) → crush/someone you like
• Pronunciation: /sɯ.ki.pi/

Meaning

Crush, someone you like — a cute, abbreviated way to refer to a person you have romantic feelings for.

好きピ combines 好き (suki, 'like/love') with ピ (pi), a cute suffix that does not have inherent meaning but adds a playful, adorable tone. The ピ suffix comes from the same pattern as 彼ピ (boyfriend). It is softer and cuter than 好きな人 (suki na hito, person you like), making it perfect for gushing about crushes with friends. It is primarily used by young women.

Examples

1. 好きピからLINE来た、どうしよう。 I got a LINE message from my crush, what do I do?!
2. 好きピと目が合ったんだけど気のせいかな。 I made eye contact with my crush — or was I imagining it?
3. 好きピの誕生日に何あげよう。 What should I get my crush for their birthday?

Usage Guide

Context: friends, texting, social media

Tone: cute, romantic, girlish

Do Say

• 好きピに告白しようか迷ってる (I'm debating whether to confess to my crush)
• 好きピの話聞いて！ (Listen to me talk about my crush!)

Don't Say

• 男性同士の会話で「好きピ」は使いにくい (好きピ is hard to use in conversations between male friends — it is coded as feminine language)

Common Mistakes

• Using 好きピ for someone you are already dating — use 彼ピ or 彼氏 instead
• Not knowing the -ピ suffix family: 好きピ (crush), 彼ピ (boyfriend), 彼ピッピ (almost-boyfriend)

Origin & History

Combination of 好き (like/love) + the cute suffix ピ (pi). Emerged in the late 2010s JK (high school girl) slang as part of a trend of adding -ピ to words for cuteness. Related formations include 彼ピ (boyfriend) and 彼ピッピ (almost-boyfriend).

Cultural Context

Era: Late 2010s JK slang

Generation: Gen Z, especially young women

Social background: Youth culture, feminine-coded

Regional notes: Used across Japan. Primarily used by young women and girls, though understood by all Gen Z speakers.