すっぽかす

• Reading: すっぽかす
• Romaji: suppokasu
• Pronunciation: /sɯp.po.ka.sɯ/

Meaning

To stand someone up or no-show on a commitment — deliberately or carelessly failing to show up.

すっぽかす is a vivid, colloquial verb for blowing off a meeting, date, or appointment without notice. It implies irresponsibility and is always viewed negatively by the person left waiting. The word carries more weight than simply being late — it means completely failing to appear. It can describe both deliberate avoidance and careless forgetfulness.

Examples

1. デートすっぽかされて一時間も待ったんだけど。 I got stood up on a date and waited for a whole hour.
2. 会議すっぽかしたら上司にめっちゃ怒られた。 I blew off the meeting and my boss totally ripped into me.
3. あいつまた約束すっぽかすんじゃないかな。 I bet that guy's gonna bail on his promise again.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, complaints, casual conversation

Tone: frustrated, accusatory

Do Say

• 昨日の約束すっぽかしてごめん。 (Sorry I stood you up yesterday.)
• 歯医者すっぽかしちゃったからまた予約しないと。 (I no-showed at the dentist so I need to rebook.)

Don't Say

• 丁寧な場面では「すっぽかす」より「欠席してしまいました」を使う (In polite contexts, use 欠席してしまいました instead of すっぽかす)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing すっぽかす with simply being late — it means completely failing to show up, not just arriving late

Origin & History

A compound verb combining すっぽ (an emphatic/onomatopoeic prefix suggesting complete absence) and かす (a verb-forming suffix). The word has been part of colloquial Japanese for decades and remains common in everyday speech.

Cultural Context

Era: Established colloquial Japanese, used for decades

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Standing someone up is considered extremely rude in Japanese culture where punctuality is highly valued.