Japanese Word for
すごいsugoi
awesome · amazing · incredible
Written as
Meaning
Awesome, amazing, incredible, terrific. すごい is one of the most versatile Japanese words — it expresses amazement, admiration, intensity, or even horror depending on context and tone of voice.
Ways to say awesome
すごい！
sugoi!
Awesome! / Wow! / Amazing!
やばい
yabai
insane, epic, crazy (modern slang)
最高
saikō
the best, awesome, excellent
素晴らしい
subarashii
wonderful, magnificent, splendid
かっこいい
kakkoii
cool, awesome-looking
神
kami
godlike, incredible (internet slang)
やばい (yabai) has undergone a fascinating semantic reversal in Japanese slang — originally meaning "dangerous" or "sketchy," younger Japanese now use it to mean "amazing" or "epic." Similarly, 神 (kami — god) is used as internet slang for something godlike or incredible. すごい remains the standard, versatile go-to for expressing amazement.
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