Learn Japanese Today

なんぱ

Reading: (usually written in kana alone)  nanpa

Definition: Flirt, pick up girls, chase skirts…

This word doesn’t make the cut for most textbooks for obvious reasons. Well, not quite so obvious reasons. If (When) I make a textbook, this word will definitely be in it. I mean come on, it’s not hurting anyone. But yeah, most textbooks don’t really include any words that have any sort of sexual subtext or anything you’d ever really want to do. But don’t worry, old Todd is here.

This is a word used often among younger guys in such phrases as “nanpa shiyou” (let’s pick up some girls!) and “nanpa umai, Takeshi wa” (Takeshi is great at flirting.) This is one of those words you can use to encourage your Japanese friends to come out of the woodwork and go actually meet people. That’s how I use it.

And here’s your example sentence:

Chotto nomisugite shimatte, nanpa heta ni nachatta

I drank a little too much and I became terrible at picking up women.

Go get ‘em tigers.

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