Vocabulary in the Kansai dialect
Kansai speakers use regional words that manga writers use to establish a character as being from the area. This page introduces common examples, including あかん, the Kansai counterpart to ダメ for something unacceptable or no good.
Kansai dialect differs from standard Tokyo Japanese in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Manga often use recognizable Kansai words to establish where a character is from.
The comparisons below read standard Japanese → Kansai. Meanings depend on context, and some of these words also occur outside Kansai. See Grammar in the Kansai dialect for や, へん, ねん, and other grammatical forms.
Common Expressions
These expressions give a response, make a judgment, or move the conversation along.
| Standard Japanese | Kansai | Meaning and Use |
|---|---|---|
| 本当・本当に | ほんま・ほんまに | “True”, “really”, or “seriously”. 「ほんま？」 means “Really?” |
| ありがとう | おおきに | “Thank you”. It can give a line a local or traditional flavor. |
| ダメ・いけない | あかん | “No good”, “not allowed”, or “that won’t do”. It also forms part of 〜なあかん, “must do”. |
| 違う・ではない | ちゃう | “That’s different”, “that’s wrong”, or “isn’t”, depending on the sentence. |
| いい・よい | ええ | “Good” or “okay”, as in 「ええやん」, “That’s good!” |
| 構わない・大丈夫 | かまへん | “I don’t mind” or “It’s fine”. Often gives permission or reassurance. |
| 仕方ない・しょうがない | しゃあない | “It can’t be helped”. The tone can be accepting or annoyed. |
| じゃあ・それでは・それなら | ほな・ほんなら | “Well then” or “in that case”. Also used when taking leave. |
The word ちゃう in 「ちゃうねん」, “That’s not it”, differs from the ending in 「食べちゃう」. The latter is a standard colloquial contraction of 食べてしまう.
Descriptions and Reactions
These words describe how something feels or what a character thinks of it.
| Standard Japanese | Kansai | Meaning and Use |
|---|---|---|
| 面白い | おもろい | “Interesting” or “funny”. The negative おもんない corresponds to 面白くない. |
| つまらない・くだらない | しょうもない | “Boring”, “trivial”, or “silly”. Can dismiss a joke, thing, or person’s behavior. |
| 疲れた・つらい・きつい | しんどい | “Tired”, “exhausting”, or “hard to bear”. Context determines whether the strain is physical or otherwise. |
| 大変・疲れる・すごく | えらい | Can describe difficulty or fatigue, or intensify another description. 「体がえらい」 means the body feels worn out. |
Quantity and Degree
These words ask about an amount or describe how much there is.
| Standard Japanese | Kansai | Meaning and Use |
|---|---|---|
| いくら | なんぼ | “How much?” Often asks about a price, as in 「これなんぼ？」 |
| とても・すごく | めっちゃ | “Very” or “really”. This word is also common outside Kansai. |
| たくさん | ぎょうさん | “A lot” or “many”. Can contribute to an older or strongly regional voice in manga. |
| 大きい・すごく・とても | ごっつい | “Big” or “substantial”. Before another description, it can also mean “very”. |
Actions and Manner
These words describe an action or how someone does it.
| Standard Japanese | Kansai | Meaning and Use |
|---|---|---|
| よく | よう | “Well” or “often” in relevant contexts, as in 「よう分からん」, “I don’t really understand”. |
| 早く | はよ | “Quickly” or “hurry up”, as in 「はよ来て」. Also written はよう. |
| ゆっくり・少しずつ・まあまあ | ぼちぼち | “At an easy pace”, “little by little”, or “so-so”, depending on the phrase. |
| 片づける・しまう | なおす | “Put away” in this regional use. Standard 直す also means “repair” or “correct”, so read it through the scene. |
| 捨てる | ほかす | “Throw away” or “discard”. |
Family and Pronouns
Family terms and first-person pronouns can help establish a character’s voice.
| Standard Japanese | Kansai | Meaning and Use |
|---|---|---|
| お母さん・お父さん | おかん・おとん | “Mom” and “Dad”. These forms are also used beyond Kansai. |
| 私・俺 | わて・わい | First-person pronouns that manga can use for an older or stylized regional voice. |
For the comic retort なんでやねん, see Comic Retorts.
Further Reading
- Kansai dialect teaching ideas from the Japan Foundation (jpf.go.jp)
- Osaka dialect workbook (pref.osaka.lg.jp)
Examples
Being at my limit is no good with あかん
Vocabulary Explanation: Vocabulary in the Kansai dialect
At a special event, the expected host doesn’t show for dinner. After finishing their meals, the guests continue to wait until past midnight. As most guests decide to retire to their rooms for the night, Heiji finds himself yawning.
- 平次:
- 「あかんオレももう限界や…」
- “No good, I'm also already at my limit...”
Following after is bad with あかん
Vocabulary Explanation: Vocabulary in the Kansai dialect
Alicia and Akari visit an island that’s modeled after part of Japan back on Earth. There, an elderly local woman tells the two of the fox spirits that visit the human world there. Akari is excited at the prospect of meeting one, but the old woman gives her a warning: on rare occasion, a fox will take a person back home with them.
- おばあさん:
- 「神さまの世界と人間の世界は違うやさかい」
- “Since the god world and the human world are different...”
- 「連れて行かれたらあかん」
- “...it is bad to follow along.”
Hurrying is no good with あかん
Vocabulary Explanation: Vocabulary in the Kansai dialect
After transferring schools, Daigo tries to become friends with everyone. However, Makoto repeated ignores Daigo before finally saying not to talk to him. The other classmates tell Daigo not to bother with Makoto.
- 大五:
- 「まだまだこっから…！」
- “There's still a long way to go.”
- 「焦ったらあかん」
- “If I hurry it's no good.”