スレ主

• Reading: スレぬし
• Romaji: sure nushi
• Kanji breakdown: スレ (from スレッド/thread) + 主 (master/owner) → thread owner/starter
• Pronunciation: /sɯ.ɾe.nɯ.ɕi/

Meaning

Thread starter or original poster — the person who created the thread (スレッド) on a message board.

スレ主 combines スレ (sure, short for スレッド/thread) and 主 (nushi, master/owner). It identifies the person who started a discussion thread on 2ch/5ch or similar forums. Functionally identical to イッチ but more widely understood outside of なんJ culture. The スレ主 sets the topic and often moderates the conversation. The term has spread to general internet usage, sometimes applied to the person who started a discussion on Twitter/X or other platforms.

Examples

1. スレ主はもう来ないのかな。 I wonder if the thread starter is coming back.
2. スレ主の質問に答えるけど、それはちょっと違うと思う。 Answering the thread starter's question, but I think that's a bit off.
3. スレ主が追記してるから読んで。 The thread starter added an update, go read it.

Usage Guide

Context: online forums, 2ch/5ch, internet culture, social media

Tone: neutral, forum-specific

Do Say

• スレ主に聞いてみよう (Let's ask the thread starter)
• スレ主のまとめが分かりやすい (The thread starter's summary is easy to understand)

Don't Say

• リアルの会話で「スレ主」は通じないことがある (Using 'sure nushi' in real-life conversation may not be understood by non-internet users)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing スレ主 with イッチ — both mean OP but スレ主 is more universal
• Using スレ主 in spoken conversation where it sounds very internet-specific

Origin & History

From スレ (sure, abbreviation of スレッド/thread from English) + 主 (nushi, owner/master). Standard 2channel terminology from the early 2000s for identifying the thread creator.

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s 2channel culture, now mainstream internet

Generation: Internet forum users, all ages online

Social background: Internet culture

Regional notes: Used across Japan in online contexts. More widely understood than the なんJ-specific イッチ.