エモ
emo
The Japanese word for the music style "emo" is エモ.
The adjective form used in daily conversation is エモい (emotional, moving or nostalgic).
Meaning: music (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a loanword derived from the English word 'emotional'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the term as a standard i-adjective, you add い to the stem to form エモい.
How do you pronounce it?
emo
Did you know?
- Unlike the English 'emo' which often carries a heavy connotation of angst or darkness, the Japanese エモい can be used for very positive, heartwarming moments.
- Because it is a loanword, spelling エモい in Katakana is common, but it is often written in Hiragana to give it a softer, more emotional feeling.
- In Japanese internet slang, エモい can be used to describe a sunset or a cityscape that evokes a profound, unnameable feeling, even without any music involved.
Examples in context
- 彼女は憂鬱な人ですShe is a melancholic person.
- 彼はエモな感じがしてるHe gives off an emo vibe.
- この曲、すごくエモいね。Kono kyoku, sugoku emoi ne.This song is so emo.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are listening to a song together.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮、この曲どう思う？Ren, kono kyoku dou omou?Ren, what do you think of this song?
- 蓮 Renすごくエモい曲だね。Sugoku emoi kyoku da ne.It's a very emo song.
- 美咲 Misakiわかる。心に響くよね。Wakaru. Kokoro ni hibiku yo ne.I know. It really touches the heart.
- 蓮 Renいい曲を見つけたね、美咲。Ii kyoku o mitsuketa ne, Misaki.You found a great song, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emo” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
