What you talkin' bout Hipster?

Just a quick tid-bit to further formulate your Japanese-hipster-persona pussycats...

A few choice phrases very scrupulously pilfered from Akihiko Yonekawa's 2001 cult-classic for the linguistically minded, Beyond Polite Japanese.

I feel like including these phrases is an essential act because as Animal Mother says in 1987's Full Metal Jacket : "You talk the talk, do you walk the walk?"

We all know you can leg it with the best of them thanks (in some part I hope) to this blog so "talking the talk" seems to be an essential introductory component to the hipster's world (unless you plan on being a silent hipster, which could be percieved as an artistic comment on the muting effect of consumerism on creativity in society...but won't get you far in establishing a new set of hipster friends)

So here we are compadres. Enjoy.

ABAYO: Informal term for "good bye", this is not considered a polite way to say goodbye.

(Which is great because manners are passe when you need to get to your friend's apartment swiftly to play some new vinyls)


ABUNE : Slang, this is an exclamation take from "abunai". It is used as in, "That was close!!!"
(A phrase like this is useful when your friend suggests wearing a Cher t-shirt to a squat rave...Cher is not nor ever will be an accepted form of ironic symbolism. They would have looked really really Dasai (scroll down!)...When they replaced Cher with an appropriately ironic Dr Who jumper you would exclaim Abune!!! )

ACHI KAERE : Impolite phrase meaning "go back over there, far away". This is a very direct way of saying "go away!".

(Perfect when someone asks you where you got your one-of-a-kind vintage suitcase from. There is no room for immitation in the hipster world)

AHO : Impolite term meaning "dumb ass".

(Used when referring to someone who has not seen the films of Hayao Miyazaki)

AITSU: Impolite term meaning "that thing over there" or "that dude over there".

(A great way to differentiate yourself from those who are not hipsters eg. No I'm not hanging with Aitsu!)

AMAI: Informal term meaning "gullible" or "someone who is a real sap".

(Use it to refer to the overly materialistic and you will win oodles of hipster cred)

ANO : Informal word which can mean "that thing over there", but the slang meaning is more commonly "Uhhh..." or "Well..." and is used a lot in colloquial speech at the start of a sentence or between sentences just like we use "Uhhh.." to slow down the conversation so we can think.

(Perfect the lazy/casual drawl of a hipster by peppering your speech with lots of extended Ano's as it gives the impression of intellectual exhaustion with the unenlightened that surround you)

ARE ! : used for exclamation such as : "Oh my !" "What the??" etc

(Use when your friend admits to a penchant for the music of J-Pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki)

BAITO : Informal slang for someone who is working part-time.

(Not useful. Hipsters see work as a necessary evil but often don't engage in it as many are freelance artists who live at home and rely on their reasonably affluent parents to provide income etc)

BETSU NI : Informal phrase meaning "nothing" or "nothing really". Normally used in response to a question.

(Useful in explaining the general day-time activities of a hipster hanging out. Eg What are you doing today? Betsu Ni)

BIJIN: Informal term meaning "beautiful woman" but actually is closer to "hot babe!"

(The best way to refer to the cute girl you met at the organic smoothie bar with an asymmetrical fringe)

BISHONEN: Informal term for "hunk" or "cute guy"

(Description best suited to the freelance Poet you met at Shibuya Station drinking canned coffee and smoking Mild Seven's)

BORO BORO : Slang for "making easy money" or "making money dishonestly"

(Could be used to refer to your nighttime "trading" in Centre Gai)

BOZU: Informal term for "kid" and is kind of like saying "Hey squirt!".
(Refer to everyone in this manner. Hipsters are educated and wise beyond their years. In comparison everyone else seems childish an naive)

BURU HAIRU: An expression used when things aren't going right

(When no matter how many times you mess it up, your hair won't achieve the artful bedhead look)

CHAU CHAU : Informal way of saying CHIGAIMASU which means "wrong" or "it's something different (from what you think)". This phrase comes from the Osaka dialect. Can be said once or twice depending on the tone or emphasis.

(Use this often when speaking with non-hipster types to assert your alternative world view)

CHINKE: Slang, refers to something "cheap" and of "poor quality".

(For referring to imitation Ray-Ban spectacles)

DASAI : Exclamation used to express disgust about something totally uncool.

(Use when your friend tells you "you look really cool", Uh saying so is just so Dasai!)

DO KASHITEIRU: Informal phrase which means "Are you o.k.? (you seem kinda out of it)"
(If somebody asks you this after a night on the town you know you have partied to your full hipster potential)

DOKE : Informal term used to say "get out of the way!". It is a slang version of the word DOKERU.

(For when someone is dangerously close to the front wheel of your fixie)

ETO : Interjection that is similar to "uhhh.." or "errr..." and can imply a phrase such as, "well, actually...."

(Use it before making a quick witted rebuttal)

GAKI :Informal term meaning "brat" or "young punk"

(Older generations may refer to you in this way, they are just ignorant to/threatened by your inherent coolness)


GAMAN SHIRO :This is a simple way of saying , "..Just deal with it"

(Use it in response to the above)


HAI: "I am paying attention, and I understand what you are saying"

(Use it when you are involved in a conversation discussing the merits of 1970's funk music)


HAMATTA: Expresses that something was funny.
(Use it when you have seen a wannabe hipster)

ICHIO : sounds like ITCHY OH. Informal term meaning "anyway...." or "well...." and can replace a direct answer with the meaning "Uhhh...kinda sorta...".

(The perfect non-committal hipster answer for any question)


JUNBI O.K. DESU: This is a very modern way of saying, "I'm ready!" And it really does use O.K. as in English.

(Signify you have finished finessing your bangs and are now ready to leave your apartment to attend a gallery opening etc with your friend)

KAN KAN sounds like KAHN KAHN: Slang which means "pissed off" or "going ballistic" or "enraged"

(For when you drop your favorite vintage Captain's hat when stepping off the JRTrain)

KON: This is the friendly and cool way to say "Konnichi ha " in a chatroom.

(For chatting on mixi)

KONCHA : Short for Konnichiwa and is very colloquial.


KONJYOYAKI : Pressing a lit cigarette onto your own arm to prove you've got "konjyo" (guts)

(Just a reason to buy cigarettes to up your hipster cred if you don't smoke, but I wouldn't recommend it more than once, choose your moment wisely hipsters)

KONO YARO: sounds like KO NO YAH ROH. Impolite phrase meaning "you/that bastard!" even though "kono" refers to "this". ( see "YARO" )

(For when somebody performs Konjyoyaki on you without your consent)

MANIAKU: sounds like MAH NEE AKKU. Slang word referring to someone who is a know-it-all about a subject. It may be that this is a more positive term like an "otaku" is a know-it-all about anime.

(Something you desire to be regarding Music, Art, Literature or Films)


MATA NE ! : This is how you say, "See you later !"

(Perfectly offhand, as if you have better, hipper things to go and do)

MAZUI : sounds like MAH ZEE. Informal term that refers to something that tastes terrible or something that sucks.

(For anything mainstream)

NANCHATTE : sounds like NAN CHA TEH. Slang term that is popular with young people, it is used in the same way that "...just kidding!" is. It basically lets you know that somebody is just fooling around jokingly, or being ironic about what they are talking about.

(A fail safe way to prevent non-hipsters from getting offended by your sharp and ironic style of wit)

OFKAI : sounds like AH HH KIGH. Informalinternet term which refers to meeting an internet acquaintance in person, face to face. (replace the "f" sound with an "h" sound)

(For someone you met on miki)

OHA: sounds like OH HAH. Exclamatory phrase for "good morning". Very short for OHAYO GOZAIMASU.

(Useless, if you are hip enough you should have partied so much the night before you will not rise 'til at least midday)

OHISA: This is the cool and friendly way to say, "Long time no see" and it is short for "O-hisashiburi desu ne"

(A casual way to greet friends from High school who did not realize how hip you were then)

OITOMA : very common expressed used to say " I gotta go now!!!"

(Good way to say goodbye to these old friends as it reeks of casual nonchalance)

OMAE: sounds like OH MAH YEH. Informal term for "you". This is not a term you use to speak to people you respect.

(Use it on everyone. The true hipster follows no chain of command)

PAKURU: Slang meaning to steal something, or to steal someone's idea (related to PAKURI)
(When your friend turns up to a bar in the same suspenders as you)

SAIKO: sounds like PSYCHO. Slang word meaning "the best" or "the coolest!" or "awesome!"

(A word that you hope will be used to describe you)