📖 How to Use This Guide
Each entry includes the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) notation — the gold standard for phonetic spelling — along with a plain-English syllable breakdown so you don't need to know IPA to use it. Where relevant, we note differences between the Japanese original pronunciation and the English-adopted pronunciation.
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Tip: IPA might look intimidating but it's just a map. Focus on the plain breakdown first, then use IPA to fine-tune. Check the Anime Voice Expressions page for how these words sound in actual anime dialogue.
🔥 Gen Z Slang Pronunciations
Rizz ✨
noun · Gen Z charm and charisma
IPA
/rɪz/
Plain English
RIZZ — rhymes with "fizz" and "biz"
⚡ One syllable. Short, punchy. Don't stretch the vowel. Say it like you have it.
Delulu 💭
adjective · delusionally optimistic
IPA
/dɪˈluːluː/
Plain English
dih-LOO-loo — stress on the second syllable
🎵 Has a playful, sing-song quality. Three syllables: dih + LOO + loo. The double-syllable ending is intentional fun.
Sigma 🐺
noun · the lone-wolf archetype
IPA
/ˈsɪɡmə/
Plain English
SIG-muh — stress on first syllable
📐 Named after the Greek letter Σ. Two syllables: SIG + muh. The G is hard (like "big"), not soft.
Aura Farming ⚡
verb phrase · building your cool reputation
IPA
/ˈɔːrə ˈfɑːrmɪŋ/
Plain English
AW-ruh FAR-ming — two words, equal stress
🌾 "Aura" sounds like "aw-ruh," NOT "ora" or "aura" with a hard A. Think of the word "awful" — same vowel start.
NPC 🤖
noun · non-playable character / robotic person
IPA
/ˌɛnˌpiːˈsiː/
Plain English
EN-PEE-SEE — spell it out, stress on C
🎮 Always spelled out as three letters, never as one word "nik." Three syllables: N + P + C.
Cooked 💀
adjective · completely done for
IPA
/kʊkt/
Plain English
KUKT — exactly like past tense of "cook"
🍳 One syllable. The slang pronunciation is identical to the cooking word. Delivery is everything — say it with defeat.
Mid 😐
adjective · mediocre, unremarkable
IPA
/mɪd/
Plain English
MID — like the middle of "middle"
😶 One syllable, flat delivery. The flatness of pronunciation should match the flatness of the judgment.
🎌 Japanese & Anime Word Pronunciations
🗾
Key rule for Japanese: Japanese vowels are always the same sound. A = "ah", I = "ee", U = "oo", E = "eh", O = "oh". No diphthongs. Each syllable has equal length and weight (with some exceptions). This is very different from English stress patterns.
Anime 🎌
noun · Japanese animation
English (common)
/ˈænɪmeɪ/
AN-ih-may
Japanese (original)
/a.ni.me/
ah-nee-meh (3 equal beats)
🔄 The English "AN-ih-may" is accepted and understood. The Japanese version has no stressed syllable — all three beats are equal. The final "e" is a clear "eh," not silent.
Kawaii 🌸
adjective · cute, adorable
English (common)
/kaˈwaɪi/
kah-WHY-ee
Japanese (original)
/ka.wa.i.i/
kah-wah-ee-ee (4 beats)
✨ The double "i" in Japanese is a lengthened vowel — hold the "ee" sound slightly longer. English speakers often collapse it to three syllables, which is fine in casual use.
Senpai 🎓
noun · senior / mentor figure
English (common)
/ˈsɛnpaɪ/
SEN-pie
Japanese (original)
/seɴ.pa.i/
sen-pa-i (nasal N, 3 beats)
👂 The "n" in Japanese senpai is a syllabic nasal — slightly more resonant than English "n." The "pai" ends in a clear "eye" sound, not "pay."
Tsundere 😤
noun · the cold-outside, warm-inside archetype
English (common)
/ˈtsʊndɛrɛ/
TSOON-deh-reh
Japanese (original)
/tsɯ̟ᵝn.de.ɾe/
tsun-de-re (equal beats)
⚡ The "ts" is one consonant cluster — like in "tsunami." Never say just "T" or just "S." Practice: "pizza" → now say just the "zz" sound before adding "oon." That's tsun.
Yandere 🔪
noun · the obsessive-love archetype
English (common)
/ˈjændɛrɛ/
YAN-deh-reh
Japanese (original)
/jan.de.ɾe/
yan-de-re (equal beats)
🎭 Three clean syllables. The final "e" is never silent — say "reh" clearly. YAN rhymes with "fan," not "lane."
Otaku 🖥️
noun · passionate anime/manga enthusiast
English (common)
/oʊˈtɑːkuː/
oh-TAH-koo
Japanese (original)
/o.ta.kɯ/
o-ta-ku (equal, the "u" is near-silent)
🇯🇵 In Japanese, the final "u" in "ku" is often barely voiced — almost silent, especially in everyday speech. The English "oh-TAH-koo" is perfectly understood everywhere.
Manga 📚
noun · Japanese comics
English (common)
/ˈmæŋɡə/
MAN-guh
Japanese (original)
/maŋ.ga/
mahn-gah (equal beats, open A)
📖 The Japanese "a" sounds are open — like "father," not "cat." English speakers often say "MAN-guh" which uses the "cat" vowel — close enough for casual use.
😂 Meme & Internet Culture Pronunciations
Skibidi 🚽
noun/adj · Gen Alpha's defining meme term
IPA
/ˈskɪbɪdi/
Plain English
SKIH-bih-dee — three bouncy syllables
🎵 Rhythmic and fast. If you say it slowly it loses all meaning. Channel your inner 9-year-old and say it with full conviction.
Brainrot 🧠
noun · mental decay from internet content
IPA
/ˈbreɪnrɒt/
Plain English
BRAYN-rot — two syllables, stress on BRAYN
🧟 Can be said as one word (brainrot) or two (brain rot). Online text almost always one word. Spoken, both work.
Doomscrolling 📱
verb/noun · anxious infinite news scrolling
IPA
/ˈduːmˌskroʊlɪŋ/
Plain English
DOOM-scroh-ling — three syllables, heavy DOOM
😰 Put full weight on "doom" — it carries the emotional meaning. "Scrolling" is familiar. DOOM + scrolling = the whole experience in one compound word.
📊 Quick Reference Table
| Word | IPA | Simple Breakdown | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rizz | /rɪz/ | RIZZ | Saying "reez" or "ryze" |
| Delulu | /dɪˈluːluː/ | dih-LOO-loo | Saying "DEL-yoo-loo" |
| Sigma | /ˈsɪɡmə/ | SIG-muh | Soft G: "SIJ-muh" |
| Anime | /ˈænɪmeɪ/ | AN-ih-may | "ANN-ee-mee" or "ah-NEEM" |
| Kawaii | /kaˈwaɪi/ | kah-WHY-ee | "kah-WEE" (missing a syllable) |
| Senpai | /ˈsɛnpaɪ/ | SEN-pie | "SEN-pay" (wrong vowel) |
| Tsundere | /ˈtsʊndɛrɛ/ | TSOON-deh-reh | "SUN-dare-ee" (missing the ts) |
| Yandere | /ˈjændɛrɛ/ | YAN-deh-reh | "YAN-dare-ee" (wrong ending) |
| Otaku | /oʊˈtɑːkuː/ | oh-TAH-koo | "oh-TAY-koo" or "AH-tuh-koo" |
| Manga | /ˈmæŋɡə/ | MAN-guh | "MAHN-gah" (too Japanese for casual EN) |
| Skibidi | /ˈskɪbɪdi/ | SKIH-bih-dee | Saying it slowly (kills the vibe) |
| NPC | /ˌɛnˌpiːˈsiː/ | EN-PEE-SEE | "nik" or "nypsy" |