A weeb or Weeaboo is a derisive term for someone who isn't Japanese but is 'obsessed' with Japanese culture. If you are a self-proclaimed weeb or just enjoy talking about anime on Twitch, you'll need to be familiar with the emote VoHiYo, intended initially as a way for people to say hello.
Over time, with the trend of disliking weebs or weeaboos, the meaning of VoHiYo has changed drastically.
To properly use this term, it's essential to understand its new meaning as the times have changed. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The VoHiYo Twitch emote is also known by viewers as the "Weeb" or Weeaboo emote. If someone likes something related to Japanese culture, is not Japanese, and likes it to a borderline obsessive degree, they will be susceptible to being termed a Weeb on the Internet.
It has, in fact, become increasingly popular to bully people in this way online. It is often used to refer to someone as a weeb or vaguely reference anime. VoHiYo was initially intended as a greeting to say "Hello" or at the end of a long, technical explanation.
The VoHiYo emote depicts a brown-haired anime/manga girl in a purple shirt with a monkey wrench on her back. She is waving with her right hand.
It is an original Twitch.tv emote, and one of the first emotes on the channel. Its meaning transformed from a simple greeting when entering a chat into demeaning this particular group of people due to the increasing hostility that Weeb culture faces on the Internet.
Over time, people on the Internet have become much more hostile toward those they deem to be a Weeb. The harassment spans almost all social media channels, including YouTube, Reddit, and, previously, Vine. VoHiYo is among the more popular Twitch emotes, ranking 38th most used on StreamElements as of 2019. More information can be found in the video (here).
Example Usage
"He's talking about anime again. VoHiYo."
"We've spotted the weeb! VoHiYo."
"She always dresses like that, but she's not Japanese. VoHiYo."
"Why does she always do her makeup like that? VoHiYo."
“Stop being such as VoHiYo, we get it, you are an anime addict!”
Origin
Even though it is one of the most popular Twitch.tv emotes, little is known about its origin. We understand that the girl featured in the VoHiYo emote is based on a real-life staff member and Twitch moderator, Volary, and she is also the creator of the emote. The emote looks very much like her.
VoHiYo is part of the original collection of emotes that were uploaded to the site just after its name change from Justin.tv to Twitch.tv, so it is something of a relic in the Twitch.tv community and depicts the actual start of Twitch. The original upload date is unknown, but it is guessed to be around the same time as another original emote, Kappa, was created, dating VoHiYo back to 2011. This was when the original collection of emotes was first uploaded.
Phrases Similar to VoHiYo
- Koncha
- PunOko
- TPFunfun
- TehePelo
Phrases Opposite to VoHiYo
- Ayaya
- HungryPaimon
- MingLee
- ·MaxLOL
What is the Correct Saying?
- Oh no, there's a weeb in the chat. *VoHiYo*
Ways People May Incorrectly Say VoHiYo
Twitch has a lot of anime, and Japanese culture-inspired emotes that have both negative and positive connotations. Some ways that VoHiYo is used incorrectly are:
- Used in a positive manner *VoHiYo*
- Used in its older original meaning of hello. *VoHiYo!*
- If a streamer mentions anime or manga, and you are trying to agree with him rather than insult him.
- When entering the chat, VoHiYo!
Acceptable Ways to Phrase VoHiYo
- *Mentions anime* "Oh no, VoHiYo."
- VoHiYo spammed in the chat when a mention of something nerdy and related to Japanese culture gets annoying.
- When someone is cosplaying in a significantly extra way: *VoHiYo*
- I am so tired of Tristan, his is not much more than an obsessed VoHiYo.