At a Glance: ‘W’ stands for warau (to laugh), similar to ‘lol’. ‘Kusa’ (grass) is the modern evolution, stemming from the visual resemblance of ‘wwwwww’ to blades of grass on a screen. Mastering these is key to sounding like a local in Japanese digital spaces.
If you’ve spent more than five minutes on Twitter (X), Line, or a Japanese gaming forum, you’ve likely seen it: a string of ‘w’s or the word ‘kusa’ (grass) popping up in comments. As an editor living in Japan, I often see foreigners struggling with the nuance of digital humor. It isn’t just a direct translation of ‘lol’; it is a cultural evolution of the Japanese internet.
The Anatomy of ‘W’
In the early 2000s, on anonymous message boards like 2channel, Japanese users shortened warau (笑う), which means ‘to laugh’, to the single letter ‘w’. Just like English speakers might type ‘lol’ or ‘lmao’, one ‘w’ is a soft chuckle, but a long string like ‘wwwwwwww’ indicates genuine amusement. It is visual, it is efficient, and it has become the bedrock of Japanese netizen communication.
Pro-tip: Never use a single ‘w’ in a formal or semi-formal setting. Even in casual work chats, it’s safer to use a polite w or, better yet, a standard emoji to avoid appearing dismissive.
From Laughing to ‘Kusa’ (Grass)
Why do Japanese people call laughter ‘grass’? The term kusa (草) began when users typed so many ‘w’s in a row—’wwwwww’—that the block of characters looked like blades of grass growing on the screen. Eventually, people stopped typing the ‘w’s altogether and just started writing kusa. If you see someone write ‘kusa’, they are saying the situation is so funny it’s hilarious, or ‘laugh-out-loud funny’.
Common Mistakes Foreigners Make
The biggest mistake is overusing it in the wrong context. Much like Yabai, these terms are strictly reserved for informal, digital environments. Sending a message to your boss with ‘www’ is the equivalent of sending a meme to a job interviewer. If you are ever unsure of the tone, stick to ‘笑’ (wara) or ‘（笑）’ as these are slightly more traditional and carry less ‘internet troll’ baggage.
Cultural Nuance Note: Sometimes, people use ‘kusa’ to mock something, saying ‘it’s so bad/absurd it’s funny.’ Reading the room is vital here. If you don’t understand the context, learn the art of Kuuki wo Yomu before joining the laughter.
Variations You Should Know
- wwwww: The standard, heavy laughter.
- Kusa: The modern ‘this is hilarious’ shorthand.
- Oowarai (大草原): Meaning ‘Big Grassland’, used when something is beyond funny—it’s hysterical.
- 8888: Often used alongside ‘w’, as the number 8 is read as ‘hachi’, which sounds like the sound of clapping (pachi-pachi).
Ultimately, these terms are about building rapport in a digital landscape. By using ‘w’ or ‘kusa’, you’re signaling that you understand the informal, fast-paced rhythms of modern Japan. Just remember: keep it digital, keep it casual, and don’t let the grass grow too high!
