"She really likes spicy food," "He is very good at playing with dogs," "The teacher was very kind to me"... Can you guess what the common element is in these sentences?

Emphasis expressions are used in all sentences. All of the emphasis expressions listed here are formal, so they can basically be used in any situation. On the other hand, there are some expressions that are only used in close communication. This time, we will introduce some casual expressions using emphasis expressions.

Casual equivalent of "totemo"

1. "Meccha" (very)

There is a theory that "metta" is an expression that began to be used in the Kansai region, but it is used in the same way as "kanari" and is frequently heard not only in Kansai but throughout Japan. It has almost the same meaning as the expression "mechamashika."

2. "very" (sugoku)

There is a word in old Japanese called "sugoshi." It is said that "sugoshi" has a negative meaning, such as "horrifyingly frightening." The direct relationship to the old word is unclear, but "sugoshi" may have come to be used in the broader sense of "extremely bad."

3. "Cho" (Super)

The kanji character "cho" also means "to exceed." "Cho" is not necessarily used in youth slang, but it is often used when you want to emphasize something, such as "I'm super happy."

4. "Maji"

"Maji" is generally written in katakana. There are various theories about the origin of the word, but one theory is that it is an abbreviation of "maji" (serious). It is often used to convey the meaning of "really" or "seriously."

Waka means "very" (totemo)How to use the language

In their daily lives, Japanese people frequently use youth slang that means "very." Let's take a look at how youth slang for "very" is used in six different situations.

Morning conversations with friends at school

The assignments up until today were "meccha" (super difficult) and I didn't understand them.

I tried until midnight too, but I couldn't do it. I'm super sleepy.

・With colleagues during part-time work

I'm really happy that customers come to the store in the morning.

That's true, but preparing for opening is really tiring.

At the library, with friends

Isn't that group over there really loud? It's really annoying.

I seriously can't stand people who make noise in the library.

At an amusement park with friends

Scream "meccha" on the roller coaster!

Apparently it will plummet at the end, I'm super excited!

In the kitchen with the kids

The pot is very hot, so don't touch it.

If you get burned, it will hurt a lot (sugoku), so be careful.

・While watching sports, with friends

That attack was so close!

That player was "super" (cho) doing great!

It turns out that the youth slang words "meccha" (super) and "cho" (super) which mean "very" (totemo) are used daily when talking with friends. In casual situations, there seem to be various ways to express "very" (totemo) other than just saying "very" as "very."

Situations where it's best not to use the slang"totemo"

"Totemo" is a useful slang expression for emphasizing something, but be careful as it is not appropriate in formal situations.

・Giving a wedding speech with friends

Today is a very auspicious day.

No matter how close you are, it's best to avoid casual language at a formal occasion like a wedding. Some guests may be particularly strict about their language, so be careful.

・Graduation speech to the teacher

Thank you so much for all your help during my three years of high school.

Graduation ceremonies are generally considered ceremonial events, with the flow and guests set each year. At such occasions, care must be taken not to disrupt the atmosphere.

・Become a chef at a prestigious restaurant

Today's special course was super delicious.

Needless to say, it's best to avoid using casual expressions in formal situations, especially with people you're not particularly close to.

・At a restaurant, to customers

Please be careful as this dish is really hot.

Even if it's not a particularly prestigious restaurant, if you're working in the food and beverage service industry, be sure to use polite language.

A new way to use "metta"

The emphatic expressions we have introduced so far, such as "super" (cho) and "extremely" (sugoku), mainly express the extreme degree of something. Therefore, they are not used as an "emphatic expression + noun" combination, such as "meccha tsuke" (a very desk).

However, recently, when you want to convey the message that something is typical, you may see the usage of "meccha" + a noun. In other words, "meccha" + a noun gives the noun an adjective-like meaning. For example, in April in Japan, you might hear the following conversation:

"The cherry blossoms over there are beautiful."

"It's warm today, it really feels like spring."

Many Japanese people have the impression that spring is a time when cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the weather is warm and comfortable.

"Meccha haru" (super spring) means "The cherry blossoms are beautiful, it's warm and it's a perfect spring day."

This phenomenon occurs frequently because the meaning and interpretation of words change depending on who uses them. Enjoy the ever-changing language and try out different expressions!