やべー

やべー
i-adjective
dangerous; bad; awesome (slang)
informalcolloquialcolloquialevaluationemotion
See also: やばい (standard form)
1. dangerous; bad; in trouble
casual/slang pronunciation of やばい expressing danger, a problematic situation, or something negative
やべー、遅刻(ちこく)する！
Oh no, I'm gonna be late!
財布(さいふ)忘(わす)れた。やべー。
I forgot my wallet. This is bad.
この状況(じょうきょう)、マジやべーよ。
This situation is seriously bad.
2. awesome; amazing; incredible
positive slang use expressing strong admiration or excitement; common among young people
このラーメン、やべー！
This ramen is amazing!
あのバンドのライブ、やべーよかった。
That band's concert was incredibly good.
この景色(けしき)、やべーきれいじゃない？
Isn't this view absolutely stunning?

CASUAL/SLANG

やべー is a casual pronunciation of やばい. Like many slang words, it has both negative (original) and positive (newer) meanings depending on context.

Meaning shift

The positive meaning (sense 2) developed in the 2000s among young people. Context and tone usually make the intended meaning clear.

Forms

  • やべえ (written with え)
  • やっべー (extra emphasis)

Register

Very casual; inappropriate for formal situations. Use in casual conversation with friends only.

general
Added 2026.1.28 20:27 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
08500/08783_yabee