ウケる

• Reading: ウケる
• Romaji: ukeru
• Pronunciation: /ɯ.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

An exclamation meaning 'that's hilarious' or 'LOL,' used to react to something genuinely funny.

ウケる literally means 'to receive' (受ける) but in slang it means something 'lands well' comedically — i.e., it gets a laugh. It functions as the spoken/texted equivalent of LOL or 'I'm dying.' Women and younger speakers use it especially often. The past tense ウケた and the super-emphatic 超ウケる are equally common.

Examples

1. その話超ウケるんだけど！ That story is absolutely hilarious!
2. 先生が黒板に変な絵描いてて、みんなウケてた。 The teacher drew a weird picture on the blackboard and everyone was cracking up.
3. あの動画見た？ウケるからマジで見て。 Did you see that video? It's hilarious, seriously watch it.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, social media, texting

Tone: amused, laughing, lighthearted

Do Say

• え、何それウケる！ (Wait, what? That's hilarious!)
• ウケるんだけど、猫がまた変な寝方してる。 (LOL, the cat is sleeping in a weird position again.)

Don't Say

• 深刻な話をしている人に「ウケる」と言わない (Don't say 'ukeru' to someone sharing a serious or sad story — it sounds dismissive)

Common Mistakes

• Using ウケる when someone is being unintentionally funny in an embarrassing way — it can come across as mocking
• Confusing the slang meaning with the standard verb 受ける (to receive/take an exam)

Origin & History

From the verb 受ける (ukeru, to receive). In comedy, 受ける means a joke 'lands' or 'gets a good reception.' The slang usage emerged in the 1990s-2000s among young women and spread widely through texting and social media.

Cultural Context

Era: 1990s-2000s, spread through gyaru culture and texting

Generation: Teens to 30s, slightly more common among women

Social background: Casual youth speech

Regional notes: Used across Japan. In Kansai, おもろい (omoroi) is often preferred over ウケる for 'funny.'