Chiikawa, 'dopagaki' and Punch-kun: Japan's 30 buzzword nominees for 2026, explained

Every November, Japan gets a snapshot of its year in vocabulary. On November 5, the 30 nominees for the 2026 New Words and Buzzwords Awards (新語・流行語大賞) were announced. Japanese media reported that the list was drawn from tech, money, weather, sport and internet slang.

For anyone learning Japanese in Canada, or trying to keep up with family and friends back home, the list works as a quick guide to what people in Japan have been talking about. Below, we explain the words that sources have defined so far.

What the award is and how it works

The award is run by publisher Jiyu Kokuminsha, which also produces the annual yearbook of modern terms Gendai Yogo no Kiso Chishiki. According to a summary by the blog Nozanoza Note, it began in 1984. For years it was known as the "U-Can" award. Since 2025 it has had a new sponsor and is now officially called the T&D Insurance Group New Words and Buzzwords Awards.

The public does not vote. The same summary says the editors pick nominees based partly on reader surveys. A selection committee then chooses a top 10 and a grand prize, which will be announced on December 1. Last year's winner was Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's "hataraite" phrase (I'll work, work, work, work, work), shared with "josei shusho" (female prime minister).

In its English coverage of the list, The Japan Times said the purpose is to recognize words that capture the year's trends and cultural shifts.

The headline words, explained

ドパガキ (dopagaki). This internet slang blends "dopamine" with gaki, a rough word for a kid or brat. Nippon.com says it describes people who keep chasing quick thrills from short videos, social media or games with gambling-style mechanics, and who find it hard to focus for long. The site adds that these people are not only the young. It also mentions related coinages: dopachū and sero-oji (older "serotonin guys").

News On Japan notes that experts stress dopagaki is internet slang, not a medical diagnosis. The Japan Times compared it to English phrases like "iPad kid."

NISA貧乏 (NISA binbō, "NISA poor"). NISA is Japan's tax-exempt individual savings account. Nippon.com says the program is being expanded to children's accounts in 2027. The term describes people who put so much into these investments that their everyday household budget suffers.

パンチくん (Panchi-kun). Punch-kun is a Japanese macaque born in July 2025 at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture. According to Nippon.com, his mother abandoned him early on and he became attached to a stuffed orangutan. The story drew wide sympathy and brought more visitors to the zoo.

ナフサ (nafusa, naphtha). Naphtha is a light product made by refining crude oil. The Japan Times links it to supply disruptions related to the conflict involving Iran. The newspaper says the word spread widely after a shortage led some food makers to switch to black-and-white packaging.

Pop culture, sport and memes

Other trend words include フレネミー (frenemy, "friend" plus "enemy") and キオクシア (Kioxia, a major memory-chip maker).

Tech, weather and the rest of the list

Three nominees deal with AI: AI暴走 (AI running out of control), フィジカルAI (physical AI) and データセンター (data centre). Nippon.com says data centres drew public attention as AI drove up demand for huge computing facilities.

Weather and safety words are on the list too: 酷暑日 (kokushobi) and 警戒レベル5 (alert level 5). News On Japan says these relate to temperatures above 40°C and the highest level of emergency warnings.

The other nominees, in the official Japanese order, are 青切符, あかり、信じてるからな, ギルティ, 言語化, 声の権利, 消費税1％, スクイーズ, スマホ農場, setlog（セットログ）, だけ弁当, なんとかなれーッ, ピックルボール and ホビ垢.

Our take: a year of anxiety, with some comfort

Oricon reported the organizers' view of the list. They saw many unsettling words tied to rising prices, the Iran war and unusual weather. They also noted comforting words like Bondoro, Suki sugite metsu! and Nantoka nare!

In our view, that mix makes the list a good tool for learners. Words like dopagaki and NISA binbō show how Japanese builds new words from borrowed and native parts. The pop-culture entries help you follow conversations with friends in Japan. We will come back with an explainer once the top 10 and the winner are announced on December 1.

Which word do you think will win, and which ones have you already heard from friends or family in Japan? Share your guess on the DOJI community board. New to DOJI? You can sign up here to connect with Japanese speakers across Canada.