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ヤンキー

yankī

🇯🇵 Japanese slang from Tokyo

What does “ヤンキー” mean?

a delinquent, tough kid

Example

“あの先輩、昔ヤンキーだったらしい”
ano senpai, mukashi yankī datta rashii
Apparently that senpai used to be a delinquent

Good to know

Nothing to do with Americans: in Japan it means bleached-hair, rule-breaking teens.

Who you can say it to

With friends, not your boss

🙄 Teasing

The textbook way to say it: 不良

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