ステータス

• Reading: ステータス
• Romaji: suteetasu
• Pronunciation: /su.teː.ta.su/

Meaning

Status — can refer to online status (active/away/offline) on messaging apps, or metaphorically to social standing or coolness factor.

Borrowed from English 'status,' ステータス has dual usage in modern Japanese. In tech contexts, it refers to online presence indicators on apps like LINE or Discord. In broader usage, it describes social cachet — owning certain brands, attending prestigious schools, or having desirable qualities. The gaming world also uses it for character stats, making this a triple-meaning loanword.

Examples

1. LINEのステータスずっとオンラインだけど、暇なの？ Your LINE status has been online the whole time — are you bored or something?
2. 最新のiPhone持ってるのがステータスみたいになってるよね。 Having the latest iPhone has kind of become a status symbol, right?
3. ゲームのステータス振り直したいんだけどリセットできる？ I want to redistribute my game character's stats — can I reset them?

Usage Guide

Context: messaging apps, gaming, social media, daily conversation

Tone: neutral, descriptive

Do Say

• ステータスをオフラインにしとけば気づかれないよ。 (If you set your status to offline, they won't notice you.)
• あのバッグ持ってるのステータスだよね。 (Carrying that bag is a status symbol.)

Don't Say

• 「ステータスが高い」を人に直接言うと嫌味に聞こえる (Telling someone 'your status is high' to their face sounds sarcastic)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing the tech meaning (online status) with the social meaning (prestige) — context determines which

Origin & History

Directly borrowed from English 'status.' Has been used in Japanese since the 1990s in gaming (character stats) and gained broader usage with social media and messaging apps in the 2010s.

Cultural Context

Era: 1990s gaming, 2010s social media

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The gaming meaning is older; the social media and prestige meanings are newer additions.