Japanese · Insults
うざい
uzai
oo-ZYE · /ɯzai/
Annoying / a pain in the ass
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"(from uzattai, 'irritating')"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
"Annoying," but heavier and more personal than the polite word — a nagging parent, a clingy ex, a coworker who won't stop talking. Classic teenager-to- parent ammunition ("uzai!" and slam the door). The rougher clipped form is "uzee," male-coded.
Heard in the wild
いちいち確認してくるの、うざい。
Checking in on every little thing — so annoying.
Where it lands
Nationwide
Quick answers
- What does "うざい" mean?
- In Japanese, "うざい" means "Annoying / a pain in the ass". Literally it's "(from uzattai, 'irritating')". "Annoying," but heavier and more personal than the polite word — a nagging parent, a clingy ex, a coworker who won't stop talking. Classic teenager-to- parent ammunition ("uzai!" and slam the door). The rougher clipped form is "uzee," male-coded.
- Is "うざい" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "うざい"?
- Say it "oo-ZYE" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ɯzai.
Related in Japanese
うるさい urusai oo-roo-SIGH Shut up / you're too loud / quit nagging のろま noroma no-RO-mah Slowpoke / dead weight キモい kimoi KEE-moy Gross / creepy / disgusting ダサい dasai dah-SIGH Lame / tacky / uncool 最低 saitei sigh-TAY The worst / despicable / how low 弱虫 yowamushi yo-wah-MOO-shee Coward / wimp / chicken
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