This word is slang. It means something is really bad. It can mean "terrible" or "dangerous."
ヤバいPrimary
This word is slang. It means something is really bad. It can mean "terrible" or "dangerous."
寝坊した！時間に間に合わない、ヤバい！
I overslept! I won't make it in time, this is bad!
昨日、駅前でヤバい人を見た。
Yesterday, I saw a sketchy person in front of the station.
今日のテスト、思ったよりヤバくなかった。
Today's test wasn't as bad as I thought.
うわ、この部屋ゴキブリだらけじゃん。ヤバいって！
Whoa, this room is full of cockroaches! This is so bad!
彼の運転はスピードがヤバくて、乗っているのが怖かった。
His driving speed was dangerously fast, and I was scared being a passenger.
This word is like a warning light. It flashes for small problems. It also flashes for big dangers. It tells you something is wrong. It can be a little wrong or very wrong.
This word is different from the positive "ヤバい". That one means something is very good. This one means something is very bad. You know which one it is by how people say it. You also know by what they are talking about.
Don't use this when you are in a formal place. For example, do not say it to your teacher. It is not polite. It is not professional. It is only for casual talk.
Track your mastery
Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.