What does "やばい (yabai)" mean and how to use it in Japanese? Example sentences and paraphrased expressions are also explained.
"Yabai" is a word that Japanese people often use in conversation, but it is also a word whose usage is difficult to understand even after studying it in textbooks. It is especially important for foreigners studying Japanese to understand the various meanings of this word that often appears in daily conversation.
This article explains the meaning and usage of "yabai" in an easy-to-understand way for foreigners, with example sentences.
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What does it mean when we say "やばい (yabai)" in Japanese?
To understand the word "yabai" it is important to grasp its wide range of meanings and how it is used in a variety of situations. This word is a good example of the flexibility and expressiveness of the Japanese language, as it is used to describe a wide range of emotions and situations.
And the Japanese word "yabai" has both its original correct meaning and its meaning as slang often used by young people and sometimes used as a mere touching word (Interjection, Exclamation).
original meaning
The original meaning of "yabai" is "something bad or dangerous is about to happen," which is similar to "dangerous" or "not good."
[A word similar to the original meaning of "yabai"]
Dangerous, Bad, Scary, Suspicious, Frustrating, Serious, Serious, Very, Illegal, Harsh, Terrible
Meaning as slang
Besides its original meaning, "yabai" is also used to mean "very good" or "great." This is slang often used by young people,it means exactly the opposite of what it originally meant.It is important to note that
[The main meaning of "yabai" as slang]
Very good, awesome, cool, delicious, fun, happy, interesting, beautiful
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The meaning of "Interjection" as (Interjection,Exclamation) is
"Oh, my God!" Yay!" etc., "Yabai" is often used as an emotional verb in the same sense. When used as an emotional verb, "Yabba! Yabee! etc.
How do you say "Yabai" in English?
When "bad" is said in English, the original meaning of "dangerous" or "not good" can be translated as "bad' 'dangerous," "strange "strange," etc., can be translated as "dangerous" or "bad. However, due to differences in nuance among languages, it is sometimes difficult to convey the message with only a direct translation.
In the case of slang, it can be translated as "awesome," "cool," etc. These words are suitable for expressing the positive connotation of "yucky." Other than this, it can be translated into various English words depending on the situation.
Examples of English translations of the word "yabai".
| The original meaning of "bad" | bad,dangerous,strange,risky,suspicious,shit,damn,awful,terrible,weird etc. |
| Slang meaning of "yucky" | awesome,cool,amazing,crazy,super,funny,impressive etc. |
| The inspirational lyric "Oh no!" | oh my god!, oh no!, wow! etc. |
Five uses and examples of "やばい (yabai)"
Yabai" is a word often used by young people as slang, so it is difficult to understand its natural usage even if you study it in textbooks. Here we introduce some example sentences that are easy to use even for foreigners and show the nuance of "yabai".
1. "Oh no! I forgot my wallet."
| Japanese (language) | Oh no! I forgot my wallet. |
| romaji | Yabai! saifu wo wasureta. |
| Native language | I forgot my wallet. |
Yabai, I forgot my wallet" is an example sentence that uses "yabai" as a demonstrative verb. The "yabby" part in English is simply "Oh no" or "Oh my god."
Besides forgetting your wallet, you can use it in all kinds of situations, such as when you oversleep or fail at work.
2. "This food is bad."
| Japanese (language) | This food is bad. |
| romaji | Kono ryouri wa yabai. |
| Native language | This dish is so good(or bad). |
This dish is so good" if the "bad" part means "delicious," "This dish is so bad ." If "bad" means "good," it becomes "This dish is so good. Because "yabai" can mean both good and bad,Just "this food is bad" can mean either.The point to note is that In actual conversation, you can usually tell which meaning is meant by the situation, such as whether the person looks happy or not.
And in this case, it can be used not only for cooking, but also for movies, games, and many other things.
3. "My weight is in trouble."
| Japanese (language) | Your weight is in trouble. |
| romaji | Taijuu ga yabai. |
| Native language | I've gained so much weight. |
The phrase "my weight is bad" means "my weight is not good," i.e., I've gained weight. In English, it can be translated as "I've gained so much weight."
In this sentence, "yabai" is almost always used in the "not good" sense, and rarely in the good sense, as in "I lost weight" or "I have successfully lost weight. It is difficult to know which meaning of "yabai" is used in the sentence, unless you listen to a lot of Japanese daily conversation and get used to it.
4. "The ending of this movie is bad."
| Japanese (language) | The ending of this movie is bad. |
| romaji | Kono eiga no ketsumatsu wa yabai. |
| Native language | The ending of the movie is awesome. |
When "yabai" is used in a positive sense, "この映画の結末はやばい" translates to "The ending of the movie is awesome."
It is possible to say "the ending of the movie is terrible.
5. "I'm in trouble."
| Japanese (language) | This just got ugly. |
| romaji | Yabai koto ni natta. |
| Native language | A bad thing happened.I am in trouble. |
The phrase "A bad thing happened." can be translated in English as "A bad thing happened." or "I am in trouble." This sentence is rarely used to mean "something good happened."
Paraphrases and thesauruses for "やばい (yabai)
The word "yabai" has various paraphrases and analogies. These expressions can be used in place of "yabai" depending on the situation and nuance.
For example, the word "terrible" is used to indicate that something is in a very bad state. The word "extreme" is used to indicate that something is in an extreme or very intense state.
Furthermore, the word "tremendous" is sometimes used to describe an amazing degree of strength or intensity. It is important to understand these paraphrases and analogies and use them in appropriate situations.
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summary
Yabai" is a frequently used Japanese slang word. It is a very useful expression for learners of Japanese to understand, as it can be used to express a variety of emotions and situations with this single word. However, if you can use "yabai" naturally, you will give the impression of being a good and familiar conversationalist in Japanese.
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