- The Top 10 Gal Buzzwords of 2025
- 10th Place: “Yurusarehen” (Can’t be forgiven)
- 9th Place: “Poipoi Nice~❣️” (Throw-throw nice~❣️)
- 8th Place: “Homan ni” (Really, truly)
- 7th Place: “Rate Takai” (High rate/value)
- 6th Place: “Kaidashi Da Na” (Disclosure, isn’t it?)
- 5th Place: “Waruikoccha” (Bad kid, huh?)
- 4th Place: “Ryote ni Otoko Desu” (A man in each hand)
- 3rd Place: “Satsuowa” (Photo shoot over)
- 2nd Place: “Shinu / Bakushi” (Dying / Exploding with laughter)
- 1st Place: “Oira ga Iku Shika Nee Na” (I guess it’s up to me to go!)
- Outside the Top 10: “Edo Hashiri” (Edo Run)
- Highlights of the 2025 Survey: An Era of “Nori” and “Positive Declarations”
- About egg
The Top 10 Gal Buzzwords of 2025
10th Place: “Yurusarehen” (Can’t be forgiven)
This strong expression means “absolutely unforgivable.” Its Kansai-style pronunciation, combined with a slightly cute intonation, has resonated particularly with teenagers. The phrase gained traction as a catchphrase of “Nekopi” from the gal JK character “Usapoyo,” often used when something unreasonable occurs, leading to its memeification on social media. It’s frequently used to express a “cute anger” rather than genuine fury, as in “That’s yurusarehen” or “Today’s homework is yurusarehen.”
9th Place: “Poipoi Nice~❣️” (Throw-throw nice~❣️)
This is a word of gratitude used towards viewers who send points during live streams. It’s considered cuter and more charming than a simple “Nice!” and instantly brightens the atmosphere. In live streaming, where quick reactions and high energy are crucial, this phrase has become a versatile reaction that conveys gratitude, boosts excitement, and establishes a unique persona all in one.
8th Place: “Homan ni” (Really, truly)
“Homan ni” is a shortened version of “honmoney” (from “hontou ni” meaning “really” or “maji de” meaning “seriously”). Originally used by influencer KEMIO, gals further shortened and stylized it for a cuter, more rhythmic feel. Its strong phonetic appeal makes it instantly add a “gal vibe” and “energy” to text, making it a huge hit in text-based communication on platforms like X and Instagram Stories. Phrases like “Homan ni kawaii” (So cute!), “Homan ni muri nankedo” (Seriously impossible!), and “Homan ni tasukatta” (Really helped me!) exemplify its use as a convenient word to express a “lighthearted seriousness” through a blend of Kansai dialect, gal culture, and internet memes.
7th Place: “Rate Takai” (High rate/value)
This term quickly spread with the resurgence of sticker exchange culture among young people. It’s used in contexts like “This is too valuable to give away (Rate Takai wa~)” to express something having “high value, being hard to part with, or being popular.” More recently, it has connected with “oshi-katsu” (fandom activities), serving as a phrase to describe a favorite idol’s “popularity, rarity, or visual appeal,” as in “This idol’s rate is high!” or “This photo’s rate is too high!” The background to this trend is the renewed popularity of sticker books not only among elementary school students but also junior high and high school students. Even egg models like SERINA, Juna, and Kira carry sticker books, and the trend caught fire through exchanges among influencers.
6th Place: “Kaidashi Da Na” (Disclosure, isn’t it?)
Originating from a YouTube streamer’s comment, this internet slang is used as a “playful warning word” when someone acts a bit sly, lies, or gets carried away, as in “That’s kaidashi da na, lol.” While “information disclosure request” is a serious legal term, its rigidness is deliberately used in a humorous way, creating a gap that resonated with the gal community. HIKAKIN’s frequent use of the phrase in his videos further boosted its popularity. It became a meme in TikTok and YouTube Shorts captions and is now a frequently seen word in comment sections.
5th Place: “Waruikoccha” (Bad kid, huh?)
This phrase is a direct quote from the lyrics of IFE’s song “Waruiko.” It gained significant attention due to nuts model Angelica Imai’s frequent personal use. Its appeal lies in its ability to deliver a lighthearted retort and a cute, playful vibe simultaneously, as in “You’re a waruikoccha.” While its usage beyond Angelica is not yet widespread, its connection to the person who coined last year’s top word “Gacha” gives it high anticipation, earning it a spot as this year’s “word to watch.”
4th Place: “Ryote ni Otoko Desu” (A man in each hand)
This phrase was coined by “Ohina-sama” on the reality dating show “Kyo Suki.” It’s the gal-style update of the Japanese idiom “ryote ni hana” (a flower in each hand, meaning having two beautiful women or desirable things). It’s a versatile phrase that instantly conveys a sense of being popular, slightly self-deprecating, and having a strong, playful demeanor. It’s easily adaptable to “Ryote ni OOO,” leading to infinite variations like “Ryote ni oshi” (favorite idols), “Ryote ni sweets,” or “Ryote ni tomodachi” (friends). It has become a widely used “situation report meme” on social media, hugely popular among teenage girls.
3rd Place: “Satsuowa” (Photo shoot over)
This abbreviation for “satsuei owari” (end of a photoshoot) was originally an internal term used by staff and models. However, as models started using it in their SNS captions, such as “Kyo satsuowa~” (Photoshoot over today~) or “Satsuowa kara Puri iku” (Going for purikura after the shoot), it became common parlance. Especially within the “egg” and “KOGYARU” model communities, it’s an everyday word. It conveys the authentic “lifestyle of a model,” making it a aspirational term that junior high and high school students want to emulate.
2nd Place: “Shinu / Bakushi” (Dying / Exploding with laughter)
This represents the exaggerated reaction unique to gals, meaning “so funny I’m dying!” The phrasing “OOOO sugite, shinuu!!” (So OOOO, I’m dying!!) became a meme on TikTok and saw a resurgence in 2025 due to its excellent compatibility with video captions. Its popularity stems from its “versatility,” capable of expressing everything from small chuckles to huge bursts of laughter, as in “That’s shinu www” or “I bakushi’d ww.” It proudly takes second place as a word that symbolizes high-energy gal reactions.
1st Place: “Oira ga Iku Shika Nee Na” (I guess it’s up to me to go!)
This year’s champion originated from a “one-man musical” skit by Nakatani of the comedy duo Mayurika. His unique phrasing and the accompanying song “Kakero!” (Run!) went viral on TikTok and quickly spread throughout the gal community. It became immensely popular as a positive and slightly cute declaration of resolve, meaning “I have to go myself!” or “I have no choice but to take action!” Its usage by egg models Aisa and Juna particularly helped its dissemination, solidifying its place at the top by perfectly embodying the “strength x energy x positive” gal mindset.
As one gal influencer enthusiastically put it, “It’s the perfect phrase when you feel like you’re the only one who can get things done, but in a cute, determined way!”
Outside the Top 10: “Edo Hashiri” (Edo Run)
Though it didn’t make the top ranking, “Edo Hashiri” is a recently emerging trend that KOGYARU models are currently obsessed with.
Highlights of the 2025 Survey: An Era of “Nori” and “Positive Declarations”
The 2025 Popular Word Grand Prix highlights a fascinating shift. While SNS memes that exaggerate emotions, like “Shinu / Bakushi” and “Yurusarehen,” still hold strong positions, there’s a significant rise in words that express “positive declarations” and “strong self-affirmation,” epitomized by the number one word “Oira ga Iku Shika Nee Na.” This trend reveals that modern gals are enthusiastically communicating their inner strength, embodying the spirit of the “mind gal.”
About egg
Founded in September 1995, “egg” captured the authentic gal culture of Shibuya high school girls, once boasting a circulation of 500,000 copies at its peak. The magazine’s name signifies a desire for models and readers, still in an “egg” state, to grow together. After ceasing publication in May 2014, it was revived as a web version in March 2018. Currently, under the slogan “#YappaReiwaMoGalssho” (Gals are still the best in Reiwa!), it primarily focuses on digital dissemination, with YouTube as its core platform. Achieving over 67 million video views on TikTok, “egg” holds immense influence among the younger generation, leading the vanguard of gal culture.
This insight into the “egg Popular Word Grand Prix 2025” offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolving lexicon of Japan’s gal culture. As these words spread from social media to daily life, they not only reflect current trends but also actively shape the future of Kawaii culture, emphasizing self-expression, positivity, and a vibrant, unyielding spirit that will undoubtedly continue to inspire globally.
