sugoi

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese すごい (sugoi, “amazing, splendid, fantastic, great”). This word originally meant "dreadful, ghastly", but underwent an ameliorative semantic shift, similar to English terrific.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔɪ

Adjective

sugoi (comparative more sugoi, superlative most sugoi)

1. (fandom slang, otaku culture) amazing, awesome
   • 1997 August 16, username NeoMercury, “ARRGH! 955 Posts! and now while we’re on the topic, SM Dreams.”, in Usenet group alt.fan.sailor-moon‎^[1]:

     Now ... I got one, and for some reason was able to see a very sugoi card was next in the machine […]

   • 1998 June 23, username Shiva the perpetually busy, “[POLL] What anime scenes would look best in real life movie?”, in Usenet group alt.fan.sailor-moon‎^[2]:

     The Miko outfits are totally sugoi, and the human forms of the gods are really cool as well.

   • 2012, Diana Renn, Tokyo Heist, page 189:

     I’m wearing my latest Harajuku find: a gauzy, green sleeveless blouse, a pair of slimming pants—black, with some kind of shiny fabric—and a pair of totally sugoi sandals, with thick heels, black straps, and gleaming silver buckles.

See also

• daebak

Anagrams

• Igous

Japanese

Romanization

sugoi

1. Rōmaji transcription of すごい