Takashi's Japanese Dictionary

A blog for learning Japanese that introduces Japanese slang words and Idioms!

  • Home
  • Posts ▾
    • Latest Posts
    • Featured Posts
    • Phrases by Topic
    • Slang
    • Idiom
    • Column
    • Grammar
    • Reading Comprehension
    • 英語に関する記事 (in Japanese)
  • Lesson Materials ▾
    • For Complete Beginners
    • For Intermediate/Advanced Learners
  • Tools ▾
    • Furigana Generator
    • Gairaigo/Wasei-Eigo Converter
  • What’s New
  • Social Media
  • About
You are here: Home / Slang / 告る (Kokuru) Meaning “Confess Your Feelings to Your Crush” in Japanese

告る (Kokuru) Meaning “Confess Your Feelings to Your Crush” in Japanese

September 29, 2018

Table of Contents

  • Pronunciation
  • Definition
  • General Definition of 告白する
  • When people kokuru in Japan
  • Example Sentences
  • See also

Pronunciation

https://takashionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20200628-195955-1.m4a

Definition

告る (こくる, kokuru)  is an abbreviation of “告白こくはくする (こくはく する, kokuhaku suru)”, meaning “confess your feeling to your crush”. The abbreviation sounds more casual and is often used among teenagers. For instance,  “来月らいげつの修学しゅうがく旅行りょこうでゆみに告るわ!” means “I will confess my feelings for Yumi on the school trip next month!”.

General Definition of 告白する

告白する generally means “confess (something)”, and it is not limited to confessing one’s feelings. For instance, “真実しんじつを告白する” and “秘密ひみつを告白する” mean “confess the truth” and “confess the secret”, respectively. However, when used as “~に告白する” meaning “confess to ~”, it usually means to confess your feeling to someone you like.

When people kokuru in Japan

Japanese people usually confess their feelings to their crush before they get into a relationship. Some surveys on the internet show that about 50 % of women in Japan want their potential partners to kokuru them on the 3rd date (as in, they think 1st/2nd date is a bit too early).

Example Sentences

Ex1
まいに告ったら、無事ぶじ振ふられた
I confessed my feelings for Mai and “successfully” got rejected.

(Note) “無事 (ぶじ)” usually means “without any trouble”, but sometimes it is used as self-deprecating sarcasm.

Ex2
好すきな人ひとに告るのはかなり勇気ゆうきがいる。
It requires a lot of courage to confess your feelings to someone you like.

See also

合コン (gōkon) and 街コン (machikon): Japanese Dating Culture

Synonyms: 告白こくはくする (confess), 気持きもちを伝つたえる (tell one’s feelings to someone)
Synonyms in English: confess to someone
Related words and phrases: 告白する

Filed Under: Slang Tagged With: confess, 告白する

Related Posts

  • するする詐欺 (suru suru sagi): “All-Talk-No-Action Fraud”

  • 一発屋 (Ippatsu ya) Meaning ‘One-Hit Wonder’ in Japanese

  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese

    Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese

  • Meaning of *活: 婚活 (Konkatsu), 就活/終活 (Shūkatsu) and 朝活 (Asakatsu)

  • Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms

    Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms

Featured Posts:

  • Japanese Conversation Practice to Master 気-related Idioms
  • “Gakkī Loss”: Meaning of ロス (“Loss”) in Japanese
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very”: Synonyms of とても (totemo)
  • 40 Ways of Saying "Many" in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, and More...)
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Success Story of Ichiro Suzuki: What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans

Popular Posts:

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of “May Disease” (五月病, gogatsu byou) in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • 50 Japanese Words and Idioms about Love & Relationship
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Meaning of Kenjataimu (賢者タイム, Kenja Time) in Japanese Slang
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • Meaning of “It will snow/rain a lot tomorrow” in Japanese (+ Other Languages)
  • コミュ障 (komyushou) Meaning ‘Suck at Communication’ in Japanese
  • 40 Ways of Saying “Many/Much” in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning ‘Go-Home Club’
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of だけに (dake ni) and Its Usage to Make a Pun in Japanese
  • Meaning of ペーパードライバー (‘Paper Driver’) in Japlish (Japanese English)
  • Meaning of “Three-Day Monk” (三日坊主, mikka bouzu) in Japanese
  • 20 Japanese Words and Onomatopoeia About Rain (雨, ame)
  • とにかく (Tonikaku) Means More Than “Anyway”
  • 炎上 (enjou) Meaning “Come Under Fire” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 相合傘 (ai ai gasa): Lovely Dream of Kids in Japan
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • 闇鍋 (yaminabe): Meaning “Dark Hot Pot” with Random Ingredients
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Meaning, Grammar and Difference
  • 凸凹, 〆, 卍: Meaning of Weird and Funny Looking Kanji

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

If you like this page, follow me on social media!

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ブログランキング・にほんブログ村へPVアクセスランキング にほんブログ村

Follow me!

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

Trending Posts

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Meaning of Kenjataimu (賢者タイム, Kenja Time) in Japanese Slang
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • 50 Japanese Words and Idioms about Love & Relationship
  • Meaning of “Three-Day Monk” (三日坊主, mikka bouzu) in Japanese
  • 40 Ways of Saying “Many/Much” in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 鬼かわいい means “So cute”? Japanese Slang/Idioms about Oni
  • コミュ障 (komyushou) Meaning ‘Suck at Communication’ in Japanese
  • Meaning of “It will snow/rain a lot tomorrow” in Japanese (+ Other Languages)
  • とにかく (Tonikaku) Means More Than “Anyway”
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • 炎上 (enjou) Meaning “Come Under Fire” in Japanese
  • What’s 合コン (gōkon) and 街コン (machikon) in Japanese
  • Meaning of ペーパードライバー (‘Paper Driver’) in Japlish (Japanese English)
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • Meaning of 相合傘 (ai ai gasa): Lovely Dream of Kids in Japan
  • Japanese Money-Related Idioms and Slang Words
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very”: Synonyms of とても (totemo)
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning ‘Go-Home Club’
  • “I can’t say even ぐう”: A Japanese Idiom For Touché Moments
  • 黒歴史 (kuro rekishi): What’s “Black History” in Japanese Slang
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)

Popular Posts

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • 30+ Essential Japanese Words and Idioms to Describe Food
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Songs You Sing the Best”
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Meaning of Kenjataimu (賢者タイム, Kenja Time) in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Idiom “Put on a Cat”, 猫をかぶる (neko wo kaburu)
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese

Words by Theme

  • 30+ Essential Japanese Words and Idioms to Describe Food
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns

Idiom

  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Songs You Sing the Best”
  • ありがた迷惑 (arigata meiwaku) Meaning “Unwelcome Favour” in Japanese
  • Japanese Idiom “Put on a Cat”, 猫をかぶる (neko wo kaburu)

Japlish

  • 深夜テンション (shinya tension) Meaning “Midnight High” in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of ペーパードライバー (‘Paper Driver’) in Japlish (Japanese English)

Slang

  • Meaning of *活: 婚活 (Konkatsu), 就活/終活 (Shūkatsu) and 朝活 (Asakatsu)
  • 女たらし (onna tarashi) Meaning ‘Lady’s Man’ in Japanese
  • オワコン (Owakon) Meaning ‘Old-Fashioned’ in Japanese Slang

Column

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)
  • Success Story of Ichiro Suzuki: What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans

Grammar

  • 全然おいしい: Meaning of Zenzen in Positive Sentences Without ない (Nai)
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Meaning, Grammar and Difference

日本語記事

  • 韻を踏むお茶目な英語表現、単語、フレーズ、イディオム30+
  • 頭に情景が浮かぶ面白い英語フレーズ、イディオム30+
  • ManyやA Lot Ofの類語、 言い換え英語表現50+の使い分け
  • 直訳すると変な英語表現、イディオム12
  • 「他界する」を意味するユニークな英語イディオム8選

Categories

Copyright © 2022 · All Rights Reserved