1.
secret trick; hidden technique; hack
A clever trick, shortcut, or hidden technique not widely known. Originally used for hidden commands in video games, now broadly applied to any insider tip or life hack.
このゲームには裏技がたくさんある。
This game has a lot of secret tricks.
料理の裏技を教えてもらった。
Someone taught me a cooking hack.
節約の裏技をSNSで紹介したら、たくさんの人にシェアされた。
When I shared a money-saving hack on social media, lots of people shared it.
A compound of 裏 (hidden side, behind the scenes) and 技 (technique, skill).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 裏技を使う (use a hidden trick)
- 裏技を教える (teach a secret trick)
- 生活の裏技 (life hack)
- 節約の裏技 (money-saving hack)
Originally popularized in the context of video games (cheat codes, hidden features, Easter eggs), the word has expanded to mean any clever insider tip. It is very common in lifestyle media, cooking shows, and online content, where it is essentially equivalent to the English "life hack." The tone is informal and positive — a 裏技 is a welcome shortcut, not something underhanded.