面白い
omoshiroi[o̞mo̞ɕiɾo̞i]
In Japanese, to say that something is funny, you use 面白い (omoshiroi).
The word 面白い is used to describe something that is funny or humorous. It is also used to describe things that are interesting, engaging or fascinating, depending on the context of your conversation.
Which one should you use?
While 面白い implies that something is amusing or enjoyable, the word おかしい can also mean 'funny' in a humorous sense, but it frequently means 'strange,' 'weird,' or 'wrong.' Additionally, 面白い covers both the concept of being 'funny' and 'interesting.'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
面白い can be used casually among friends to portray a sense of familiarity. For a more formal or polite tone suitable for speaking to strangers or superiors, add です to the end to form 面白いです. If you wish to describe something specifically as amusing or comical in a formal manner, you can use 滑稽. For a very casual expression to say that something was funny or 'cracked you up,' use ウケる.
How do you pronounce it?
omoshiroi
Did you know?
- The word 面白い literally translates to 'face white'.
- The casual expression ウケる comes from a verb meaning 'to receive'. In this context, it implies that the speaker is 'receiving' the laugh or the joke.
- In many historical contexts, the idea of 'face whitening' was linked to being startled or extremely surprised, which eventually evolved into the modern meaning of 'interesting' or 'funny'.
Examples in context
- それは面白いですね。That's interesting/funny, isn't it?
- このアニメは本当に面白いよ！This anime is really funny!
- バラエティ番組が好きで、いつも笑ってしまいます。I love variety shows, they always make me laugh.
- この映画はとても面白いです。Kono eiga wa totemo omoshiroi desu.This movie is very interesting and funny.
- その話は面白いですね。Sono hanashi wa omoshiroi desu ne.That story is funny, isn't it?
- 彼は面白い人です。Kare wa omoshiroi hito desu.He is a funny person.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Kenta are talking about a comedy video.
- 陽葵 Himari健太、このビデオ見て。面白いよ。Kenta, kono bideo mite. Omoshiroi yo.Kenta, look at this video. It's funny.
- 健太 Kenta本当だ！すごく面白いね。Hontou da! Sugoku omoshiroi ne.You're right! It's really funny.
- 陽葵 Himariでしょ？昨日見つけたんだ。Desho? Kinou mitsuketa nda.Right? I found it yesterday.
- 健太 Kentaいい情報をありがとう、陽葵。Ii jouhou o arigatou, Hiyori.Thanks for the great tip, Hiyori.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 面白い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 面白い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
