ゴス
gosufeminine, masculine
The Japanese word for 'goth' (a person part of the goth subculture) is ゴス (gosu).
ゴス is used to refer to a person who identifies with the goth subculture.
Meaning: person who is part of the goth subculture (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gosu.
Did you know?
- In Japanese fashion circles, ゴス is often categorized as a 'style' rather than a musical or philosophical subculture, meaning someone might be ゴス only on weekends.
- While ゴス refers to the subculture, Japanese youth often use the term ゴスロリ (Goth-Loli) to describe a specific, highly stylized fashion aesthetic that blends gothic elements with 'Lolita' porcelain-doll styles.
- Unlike in some English-speaking countries where 'goth' is tied to music, Japanese ゴス fashion is heavily influenced by the aesthetic of the 'Visual Kei' music scene.
Examples in context
- 彼はゴスです。Kare wa gosu desu.He is goth.
- ゴスのファッションが好きです。Gosu no fasshon ga suki desu.I like goth fashion.
- あの人はゴスに見えます。Ano hito wa gosu ni miemasu.That person looks goth.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at photos of people's styles.
- 陽葵 Himariこの格好、かっこいいよね。Kono kakkou, kakkoii yo ne.This style is cool, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaうん、彼女はゴスなんだね。Un, kanojo wa gosu nan da ne.Yeah, she's a goth.
- 陽葵 Himari黒い服がすごく似合っているね。Kuroi fuku ga sugoku niatte iru ne.The black clothes really suit her.
- 健太 Kenta本当だね。個性的でいいと思う。Hontou da ne. Koseiteki de ii to omou.True. I think it's great that she's unique.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goth” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
