Anyone who is a fan of anime culture has likely heard the phrase “yare yare daze” before. Even if you are not fluent in Japanese, it is easy to pick up what this means from context. If you are in a certain situation that you do not want to be in, or if someone you do not like walks into the same room that you are in, you may exclaim “yare yare daze”.
Or if you want to express boredom in regards to something, “yare yare daze” is also the phrase for you. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The phrase “yare yare daze” is typically used as an exclamation of annoyance. It can also be used to convey boredom or general displeasure. It is translated from Japanese most often as meaning “good grief” or “give me a break”, though it has also been translated to mean various other things also along these lines.
It, more or less, expresses the same kind of emotion as sighing when you are bothered or tired of something. It is never taken too seriously and does not hold much emotion behind it.
In Japanese culture, it is typically only used by men. But this use has faded as the phrase has quickly gained popularity among all kinds of people, especially in the West, as anime culture has grown. More information can be found in the video (here).
Example Usage
“Yare yare daze. I really hate that guy.”
“I can’t believe I have to be here right now. Yare yare daze.”
“Yare yare daze. I don’t want to go to school tomorrow.”
“Yare yare daze. Can I leave yet?”
“I don’t want to have to hang out with Emily tomorrow. Yare yare daze.”
Origin
The phrase “yare yare daze” comes from Japanese culture and is believed to have originated from exclamations like “ya!” or “yai!” This would be the English equivalent of “yo!” or “hey!”. From there, it evolved to have the meaning that it does today, as an expression of boredom, annoyance, or disinterest. Though this is not the exact proven origin of this phrase, it is the most commonly believed.
“Yare yare daze” was popularized around the world by the manga and anime series, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. It is the signature catchphrase of one of the main characters, Jotaro Kujo, from the third story arc of the show, titled Stardust Crusaders. The phrase can be heard multiple times throughout the series. It has also been used in other shows including Shonen Jump Advance. Since its use in various amine’ productions, it has become a popular phrase on sites like Reddit, especially in the past few years.
Phrases Similar to Yare Yare Daze
- Give me a break!
- Oy vey
- What a pain!
- Good grief!
- Oh dear
Phrases Opposite to Yare Yare Daze
- Yay!
- I’m excited!
- I can’t wait!
- Wow!
What is the Correct Saying?
- “Yare yare daze” translates literally to “well well” from Japanese, but has the more common meaning of “good grief”.
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Yare Yare Daze
“Yare yare daze” is used as a term to express boredom, irritation, or annoyance. With that in mind, you may use this term incorrectly when you attempt to use it to reference anything other than these emotions. Some ways that “yare yare daze” is used incorrectly are:
- Yare yare daze! I love it here!
- English is my favorite subject! Yare yare daze!
- This is so exciting! Yare yare daze!
- You’re my best friend! Yare yare daze!
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Yare Yare Daze
- Math is so boring. Yare yare daze.
- I hate being here. Yare yare daze.
- Oh god, Barbara just walked in. Yare yare daze.
- Yare yare daze! I have jury duty on Friday.