Romanization Lookup Table of certain Japanese (Clipped) Loanwords or Japanese-made English words

This page shows the preferred (and enforced) romanization of certain clipped loanwords or Japanese-made English words. If you see used loanwords in titles that are missing and could be romanized differently, please contact us on Discord so we can standarize them! ## MangaBaka Slang & Clipped Loanword Reference Table Use this table to determine the primary romanization for common clipped slang and portmanteaus. | Expression | Primary Title (MangaBaka) | Alternative Title (Search) | Linguistic Origin | Meaning / Context | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ギャル | **Gyaru**² | Gal | Assimilated English *gal* | Japanese “Gal” subculture | | モブ | **Mobu**² | Mob | Assimilated English *mob* | Background/Insignificant (Side/NPC) character | | パッド | **Paddo**² | Pad | Assimilated English *pad* or *padding* | Usually specifically “Bra Padding” | | アパート | **Apaato** | Apartment | Clipped *apaatomento* | Apartment | | アプリ | **Apuri** | App / Appli | Clipped *apurikeeshon* | Application / App | | アラサー | **Arasaa** | Around 30 | *Around* + *thirty* | Person around 30 years old | | アラフォー | **Arafoo** | Around 40 | *Around* + *forty* | Person around 40 years old | | アラフィフ | **Arafifu** | Around 50 | *Around* + *fifty* | Person around 50 years old | | アラカン | **Arakan** | Around 60 | *Around* + *kanreki* | Person around 60 years old | | バリキャリ | **Barikyari** | - | *Baribari* + *career* | Energetic career woman | | リーマン | **Riiman** | Ryman | Clipped *Sarariiman* | Salary man | | ドＳ / ドＭ | **Do-S / Do-M** | - | Prefix *do* (extreme) + S/M | Extreme Sadist / Masochist | | ド\ | **Do-\ ** | - | Prefix *do* (extreme) + Noun | Extreme x; *Do-hentai* -> Extreme Pervert | | チャラ男 | **Charao** | - | *Charai* + *otoko* | Flashy/shallow playboy | | セフレ | **Sefure** | Sex Friend | Clipped *sekkusu furendo* | Friends with benefits | | スマホ | **Sumaho** | Smartphone | Clipped *sumaatofon* | Smartphone | | ドル | **Doru** | Idol | Clipped *aidoru* | Idol (pop star) | | ダメドル | **\ doru**¹ | \ dol | Clipped *\ aidoru* | 裏ドル (Uradoru) / 姫ドル (Himedoru) / だめどる (Damedoru) / etc. | | グラドル | **Guradoru** | GraDol | Clipped *gurabia aidoru* | bikini model (usually teenage); pin-up girl | | フェチ | **Fechi** | Fetish | Clipped *fetisshu* | A fetish / obsession | | エステ | **Esute** | Esthetic | Clipped *esutetikku* | Beauty clinic / Esthetics | | ハラ | **Hara** | Harassment | Clipped *harasumento* | Regular/Unspecified Harassment | | セクハラ | **Sekuhara** | Sexual Harassment | Clipped *sekusharu harasumento* | Sexual Harassment | | パワハラ | **Pawahara** | Power Harassment | Clipped *pawaa harasumento* | Harassement from postion of power (e.g., workplace) | | クリ / クリちゃん | **Kuri / Kuri-chan** | - | Clipped *kuritorisu* | Clitoris (slang) | | 元カレ / モトカレ | **Motokare**¹ | - | *Moto* + clipped *kareshi* | Ex-boyfriend | | 元カノ / モトカノ | **Motokano**¹ | - | *Moto* + clipped *kanojo* | Ex-girlfriend | | 推しカプ | **Oshikapu**¹ | Oshi Couple | Clipped *oshi kapuru* | OTP / Favorite Shipping (Pair) | | ラブハメ | **Rabu-hame** | Love Hame | *Love* + clipped *hameru* | Lovey-dovey sex | | ラブホ | **Rabuho** | Love Hotel | Clipped *rabu hoteru* | Love Hotel | | ラブコメ | **Rabukome** | Romcom / Love Comedy | clipped from Japanese-made English *rabu komedi* | | イチャラブ | **Icharabu** | Icha Love | Clipped *Ichaicha* + *Raburabu* | Making out being all Lovey-dovey | | ゲーセン | **Geesen** | Game Center | Clipped *geemu sentaa* | Arcade / Game center | | スパダリ | **Supadari** | Super Darling | Clipped *suupaa daarin* | The "perfect" husband/partner | | キャラ | **Kyara** | Chara | Clipped *kyarakutaa* | Character / personality | | 陰キャ / 陰キャラ | **Inkya** / **Inkyara** | InCha / InChara | *In* (shadow) + *kyara* | Gloomy/introverted person | | 陽キャ / 陽キャラ | **Youkya** / **Youkyara**| YouCha / YouChara | *You* (sun) + *kyara* | Cheerful/extroverted person | | ネタキャラ | **Netakyara** | NetaChara | *Neta* (not a loanword) + *kyara* | Joke/meme character | | リア充 | **Riajuu** | - | *Real* + *juujitsu* | Someone with a fulfilling life / Normie | | バイト | **Baito** | - | Clipped from *arubaito* (German) | Part-time job | | ネトゲ / ネトゲー | **Netoge** | - | Clipped *netto geemu* | Online/Network game | | エロゲ / エロゲー | **Eroge** | - | Clipped *ero geemu* | Adult/Erotic game | | 乙女ゲ / 乙女ゲー | **Otomege**¹ | - | Clipped *otome geemu* | Female audience targeted dating sim | | 無理ゲ / 無理ゲー | **Murige**¹ | - | Clipped *muri geemu* | Impossible Game | > [!NOTE] > 1. These are fixed lexicalized compound words or fandom labels. They are not separated, as they do not function as free-standing nouns syntactically modifying another noun. > 2. These words have undergone semantic narrowing or specialization in Japanese and are not fully equivalent to their English counterparts. Therefore they are romanized directly from the Japanese kana form. > [!IMPORTANT] > The alternative romanizations listed are to be used in alternative titles for title search optimization. These are established romanizations used by other metadata platforms (such as MyAnimeList or AniList). > By adding these as alternatives, users will achieve better search matches even when using more “traditional” or phonetic romanization styles. > [!TIP] > - Gyaru is not equivalent to the American Gal anymore as its meaning has significally shifted to represent a specific Japanese subculture, so to preserve the Japanese meaning it is romanized as “Gyaru”. > - Mobu has its meaning in Japanese shifted to be specific or nuanced as background or insignificant (side) character. While English mob its meaning is a “crowd” or “unruly group of people” or an “enemy monster/npc” in gaming terms. ## MangaBaka Slang & Clipped Loanword Reference TableTranslated To English Equivalents | Expression | Primary Title (MangaBaka) | Alternative Title (Search) | Linguistic Origin | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ロリ | Loli | - | Clipped from “Lolita” (ロリータ) | | ロリコン | Lolicon | - | Clipped from compound; “Lolita Complex” (ロリータ + コンプレックス) | | ブラコン | Brocon | - | Clipped from compound; “Brother Complex” (ブラザー + コンプレックス) | | シスコン | Siscon | - | Clipped from compound; “Sister Complex” (シスター + コンプレックス) | | ファザコン | Fathercon | - | Clipped from compound; “Father Complex” (ファザ + コンプレックス), fused to match the other -con's | | マザコン | Mothercon | - | Clipped from compound; “Mother Complex” (マザ + コンプレックス), fused to match the other -con's | | コスプレ | Cosplay | - | Clipped from compund “Costume Play” (コスチュームプレー) | ## Non-Clipped Loanwords or Japanese-made English Words | Expression | Primary Title (MangaBaka) | Alternative Title (Search) | Linguistic Origin | Meaning / Context | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | アルバイト | **Arbeit** | - | From German meaning “Work” | | | ザーメン | **Samen** | Semen | From German meaning “Semen” | | | オナニー | **Onanie** | - | From German meaning “Mastrubation” | | | イチャイチャ | **Ichaicha** | - | Dictionary adverb | Flirting / Making out | | | ラブラブ | **Raburabu** | Love Love | From Japanese-made English “Love Love” | Lovey-dovey | | | エロゲーム | **Ero Game** | - | Ero + Game | Adult/Erotic game | | 乙女ゲーム | **Otome Game** | - | Maiden + Game | Female audience targeted dating sim | | エンカウント | **Encount** | Encounter | From Japanese-made English “Encount” | Enemy Encounter | | ラブコメディ | **Love Comedy** | From Japanese-made English | | グラビアアイドル | **Gravure Idol** | From Japanese-made English | !!! tip German-derived Loanwords Many medical or sexual terms in Japanese (e.g., Samen, Onanie) are derived from German, not English. We restore these to their German spellings rather than attempting to force them into English equivalents or literal phonetic transcriptions like Zaamen. !!!