Slang! どや顔 ( = doyagao ) Mini Lesson

doyagao

Today I will teach you a relatively new slangy word どや顔   ( =  doyagao).

It means “a smug face” “smug look on one’s face” to have “cocky look”, “triumphant face”

We hear this more and more often on TV these days.

Ex. その”どや顔“、やめろ!(male talk. a bit rough) or やめて! ( =  yamete) 

= Sono doyagao yamero!/ Sono doyagao yamete!

=Wipe that smug look off your face!

(Looking at a picture)

:rrrr: Ex. ちょっと、この”どや顔“見て!

=Chotto kono “doyagao” mite!

= Hey, look at this smug face!

:rrrr: Ex.すごい、”どや顔“してるね。

= Sugoi “doyoagao” shiterune.

= What a smug face (he/she has)!


They say this expression started becoming popular when a comedian from Osaka used it in a talk show. From there it started to spread immediately.

どや! = Doya! is Kansaiben  ( a dialect from Osaka area) which means

“How do you like it!” ,” How’s that?”, ”Did you see what I just did / what I got?”, “Look at me!”

*「どうだ! = Douda! (male talk)

*「どう?」= Dou!

or

*「私、すごいでしょ!」

= Watashi sugoidesho!

= Don’t you think I am great? / I did great, right?

 

They say this when they are showing off something.

 

For example, when you win a game, succeed at something, get something really nice and want to show it off, show off your nice muscles, etc., you look around as if you are saying 「どや!( =  Doya! )  How’s that! “Did you see that?” “I am great!” “I did a great job, didn’t I” and people would think you have a smug look on your face. That is called どや顔   ( = doyagao) .

Synonyms :

どうだ顔  ( =  douda gao )= (slang) the same as どや顔  ( = doyagao) 

キメ(決め)顔

= kime gao

= one’s look as if saying ” I did it!”, “Look what I did!” (Similar to the English expression, “You look like the cat that ate the canary”.)

Also we say キメ(決め)顔  ( = kimegao)  one’s perfect face-pose for pictures or a woman’s face with perfect make up

勝ち誇った顔  

= kachihokotta kao

= a triumphant look, a cocky look/face

したり顔 

= shitari gao

= a smug face, a triumphant look, a cocky face, a facial expression that says, “I know everything”.

得意顔

= tokui gao

a smug face, a triumphant look, a cocky look/face

:l: All these **(=kao/gao) take the verb する=suru

Ex. ** 顔をする=** gao wo suru = to have ** look on ones face


maggie-senseiマギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

So I got a new toy! どや!= Doya! :P

 

 

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10 Comments

  1. haha!! Kansai ben rocks :3
    I’ll have to be careful with this word though… Don’t want to seem stuck up or something でしょう?:)
    and sensei, what do people in other parts of japan think of Kansai people? cause I heard from some Kansai friends that Tokyo people for example are really “proper.” So I was wondering, is there a certain image of Kansai people?

    1. @Aki

      It doesn’t sound stuck up it just sounds funny. We use it jokingly now.
      Kansai people are considered to be very warm, funny and friendly. That is why many comedians are from Kansai. On the other hand, imagewise, Tokyo people might be cooler but more distant.
      Personally I love Kansai people and kansai dialect!

      1. ahh ok^^
        me too!! I really like them :) 好きやねん!あはは、にゃ~!
        I just have this tendency of sometimes saying nya to myself when something is cute&funny… I don’t know why… maybe cause it was one of the first japanese words that I learned? hehehe it’s sooooo cuuuuuute <3

  2. 探偵が密偵を内偵する探偵小説が好きなんです。
    ジャパニーズ カンジ フラッシュカーズ 3
    ーどや顔でー  ハハハ!

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