安っぽい
yasuppoi[ja̠sɨp̚po̞i]
In Japanese, the word for cheesy (in the sense of being overdramatic or clichéd) is 安っぽい (yasuppoi). Wiktionary also lists 見掛け倒しの (mikakedaoshi no).
Meaning: overdramatic, clichéd (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 安っぽい | yasuppoi | [ja̠sɨp̚po̞i] (narrow) |
| 見掛け倒しの | mikakedaoshi no |
You may also encounter the slang term ダサい (dasai), which is used to describe something as uncool, tacky or lame.
How does it change in a sentence?
To transform the adjective 安っぽい into a noun meaning 'cheapness' or 'cheesiness', replace the final い with さ to get 安っぽさ.
How do you pronounce it?
yasuppoi
Did you know?
- If you want to describe a cheesy, over-the-top romantic gesture, Japanese speakers might use クサい (kusai), which literally means 'smelly'.
- The slang term ダサい (dasai) likely evolved from 田舎い (inakai), which means 'rustic' or 'from the countryside'.
- While 安っぽい describes something cheap or tacky, you can also use ベタ (beta) to describe a cliché or predictable plot point in a story.
Examples in context
- この映画のセリフは安っぽい。Kono eiga no serifu wa yasuppoi.The dialogue in this movie is cheesy.
- 安っぽい演出はやめてほしい。Yasuppoi enshutsu wa yamete hoshii.I want them to stop using such cheesy direction.
- 彼は安っぽいラブソングが好きだ。Kare wa yasuppoi rabu songu ga suki da.He likes cheesy love songs.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheesy” translations and entries 安っぽい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
