まじかよ

まじかよ is composed of まじ (serious) + か (question) + よ (emphasis). It is a strong exclamation of surprise, common in casual male speech.

Gender and register

まじかよ is masculine and quite blunt. Equivalent expressions used more broadly:

• まじで？: gender-neutral surprise
• まじか: less emphatic, gender-neutral
• うそでしょ: "you're joking" — common among women
• 本当(ほんとう)に？: neutral/polite surprise

Register

Depending on intonation, まじかよ can express:

• Shocked disbelief (rising intonation)
• Disappointed frustration (falling intonation)
• Impressed amazement (drawn out: まじかよ〜)

Common response patterns

• まじかよ → まじだよ / まじまじ (confirming it's serious)
• まじかよ → うん、まじで (yeah, for real)