Japanese gay slang

The following is a list of Japanese gay slang from various periods. General time period is given where information is available.


 * Anaru (アナル)
 * Anal sex. In current use.


 * Barazoku (薔薇族)
 * Literally "Rose tribe," Barazoku was the name of Japan's first and longest-running gay magazine, which ceased publication in 2005. Its name became synonymous with "gay" (see Friend of Dorothy).


 * Bian (ビアン)
 * Rezubian is a transliteration, and bian a contraction, of the English word lesbian. Unlike the similar word rezu (see below), bian is commonly used only by lesbians to describe themselves and others, akin to the use of the word "dyke" in modern America, as rezu is used occasionally as a pejorative and frequently by popular non-lesbian media.


 * Futsū (普通)
 * Literally "normal": heterosexual, a heterosexual person.


 * Jani, Janī (ジャニ, ジャニー)
 * From the English name Johnny. Refers to young, slim, boyish-looking, "cute" men (compare twink).  Taken from the name of a talent agency, Johnny & Associates, known for producing boy bands such as Kinki Kids and Smap.  Jani-kei (ジャニ系, ジャニー系) means "jani-type."


 * Kagema (陰間)
 * Literally "hidden room," this term was commonly used in the Edo period to refer to male prostitutes whose customers were also male, and was roughly synonymous with faggot or Greek kinaidos(cinaedus in Latine). A kagemajaya (陰間茶屋) was a tea house specializing in male prostitutes.


 * Ketsuman
 * A portmanteau of the words ketsu and manko literally meaning "ass cunt," this word usually describes the anus of an "passive" male bottom. Compare "mangina"; "man-cunt."


 * Kuma (熊, クマ)
 * A bear (a hairy, sometimes overweight man). In current use. Kuma-kei (熊系, クマ系) means "bear-type."


 * Kusamanko (腐マンコ）
 * -lit: Rotten cunt - A woman who is interested in boys-love and gay culture to an abnormal extent, usually an otaku. Among some circles it is used to refer to all women regardless of the degree of attention they pay the culture.


 * Nekama (ネカマ)
 * From the words "net" (Internet) and "kama" (see O-kama, below), this word can refer to men who pretend to be women in online chat rooms, or to gay men who engage in cybersex.


 * Neko (ネコ)
 * Literally "cat" (and sometimes written with the kanji for cat, though more often in katakana, as above), this word refers to the bottom, or passive/receptive partner, especially in anal sex. In lesbian relationships, the woman who expresses more traditionally feminine traits is the neko; see "femme" in English usage. The etymology is unclear. In current use.


 * Nicho （にちょ）
 * The term given Shinjuku Nichome by those who frequent it and are familiar with the turf.


 * Nonke (ノンケ)
 * Heterosexual, a straight person. Though often mistaken by English speakers as a transliteration of "non-gay" in fact the term is a combination of the loan word non (ノン) and the Japanese word ke (気), here meaning persuasion. Thus literally translated, the term means "not of that persuasion."


 * Nyū dandi (ニューダンディ)
 * "New dandy." Used to refer to cross-dressing women or butch lesbians.


 * Nyū hāfu (ニューハーフ)
 * From the English words "new half," this term is used to refer to transsexuals, mostly male-to-female. Sometimes used pejoratively.


 * Okama (お釜, おかま)
 * Literally "a pot, a kettle", this word, always with the honorific prefix "O-", refers to a gay man, especially one who is viewed as effeminate or a drag queen. Can be pejorative. The word originated in Edo period slang for the anus. In current use.


 * Okoge
 * A term for the burnt rice that sticks to the bottom of a cooking pot, this currently-used word refers to the straight, female friends of gay males. See Fag hag.


 * Onabe (お鍋, おなべ)
 * Literally "a pot," this word refers to lesbians or occasionally to female cross-dressers. Often pejorative. Invented in modern time as a female slang counterpart for "okama".


 * Onee (オネエ）
 * An older, feminine gay man. Literally "older sister".


 * Onnagirai (女嫌い)
 * Literally "woman-hater." This term was used in the Edo period to describe a man who preferred male erotic and romantic companionship exclusively. Similar to misogynia(misogyny).


 * Rezu (レズ)
 * Rezubian is a transliteration, and rezu a contraction, of the English word lesbian. (Similar to "lez".)


 * Riba (リバ)
 * Ribāsu (リバース) is a transliteration from English word, reverse. Used for person who is versatile.


 * Seme (攻め、セメ）
 * Seme comes from the word "semeru" (攻める) which means "to attack." Refers to the dominant partner in the relationship (as opposed to Uke (受け、ウケ)). In use.


 * Sēfutī sekkusu (セーフティーセックス)
 * Safe sex.


 * Tachi (立ち, タチ)
 * The top, or active/insertive partner, especially in anal sex. In lesbian relationships, the woman who expresses more traditionally masculine traits is the tachi; see "butch" in English usage. There are various theories about the etymology of the word, but it is widely thought to come from a term in kabuki. In current use.


 * Uke (受け, ウケ)
 * From the verb "ukeru," to receive, this term is used for the "passive" or receptive partner in anal sex. In current use.