ださい
dasai
The Japanese word for uncool is ださい (dasai).
ださい is a slang term used to describe something as uncool or lame. It can be applied to both physical appearance, such as bad fashion and to someone's behavior, such as acting awkward or lame.
Meaning: not cool (adj)
Which one should you use?
While ださい is the standard slang for uncool, you can use クソダサい to add much stronger emphasis to the feeling of being uncool. Additionally, while 恥ずかしい typically means embarrassing, it is sometimes used informally to describe something as uncool.
How does it change in a sentence?
To talk about the past, use the form ださかった to mean "was uncool". You can also add the suffix すぎる to the word to create ださすぎる, which means "too uncool".
How do you pronounce it?
dasai
Did you know?
- The word ださい is widely believed to have originated from the phrase 田舎臭い, which literally means 'smelling of the countryside'.
- The intensifier クソ in クソダサい literally translates to 'feces'. In slang, however, it functions like the English words 'damn' or 'hella'.
- In Japanese youth culture, calling something ださい can be a way to express a 'retro' charm. Sometimes, things that are intentionally 'old-fashioned' or 'uncool' are embraced as a specific aesthetic style.
Examples in context
- 彼の服装はダサい。His outfit is uncool / lame.
- あの行動は恥ずかしいよ。That behavior is uncool / embarrassing, you know.
- このアイデアはしょぼいな。This idea is uncool / disappointing.
- その服、ちょっとださいよ。Sono fuku, chotto dasai yo.Those clothes are a bit uncool.
- 古い考え方はださいと思う。Furui kangaekata wa dasai to omou.I think old-fashioned ways of thinking are uncool.
- 彼はださいファッションをしている。Kare wa dasai fasshon o shite iru.He wears uncool fashion.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Daito are looking at a piece of clothing in a store.
- 大翔 Hirotoこのシャツはどうかな？Kono shatsu wa dou kana?What do you think of this shirt?
- 陽葵 Himariうーん、正直言ってださいよ。Uun, shoujiki itte dasai yo.Hmm, to be honest, it's uncool.
- 大翔 Hirotoえっ、本当に？E, hontou ni?What, really?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、大翔には似合わないと思う。Un, Daito ni wa niawanai to omou.Yeah, I don't think it suits you, Daito.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ださい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
