Welcome, Japanese learners! The speech of Japan’s “Peace Capital” in the Chūgoku region has a distinct, powerful rhythm. While part of the Chūgoku dialect family, Hiroshima-ben (広島弁, ひろしまべん) is famous for its strong, direct, and surprisingly warm sound. It reflects a city known for its deep history, resilience, and passionate spirit (especially for its baseball team!).
Hiroshima-ben can sound blunt or even tough, quite different from the formality of Tokyo. This guide introduces the dialect’s heartfelt nuances. You’ll learn its key vocabulary and assertive grammar, which make it so famous (and sometimes infamous) in Japanese media.
Characteristics of Hiroshima-ben
Hiroshima-ben sounds assertive and candid. It’s known for its strong sentence-enders and a unique intonation. Famously portrayed in yakuza films (like *Battles Without Honor and Humanity*), its “rough” image often hides its true nature. For locals, this directness is a form of frankness and deep familiarity (親しみやすさ, したしみやすさ, shitashimiyasusa).
Assertive Grammar and Sentence Endings
The dialect’s famous “tough” sound shines through its distinctive grammar. This is especially true for its iconic sentence endings.
— Language Corner: The ‘Hiroshima Copula’ ～じゃ (ja) —
Standard Japanese uses です (desu) or だ (da). Hiroshima-ben uses the assertive ～じゃ (ja). For emphasis, this often becomes ～じゃけえ (jakee).
Standard: これはあなたの本ですよ。(Kore wa anata no hon desu yo.) – “This is your book.”
Hiroshima: こりゃ、あんたの本じゃ。(Korya, anta no hon ja.)
Standard: 明日、行きます。(Ashita, ikimasu.) – “I’m going tomorrow.”
Hiroshima: 明日、行くんじゃ。(Ashita, ikun ja.)
— Language Corner: Because = ～けえ (kee) —
This is one of the most famous markers. から (kara) (‘because’) becomes ～けえ (kee) or ～じゃけえ (jakee). You’ll hear this constantly.
Standard: 時間がないから、急ぎます。(Jikan ga nai kara, isogimasu.) – “I don’t have time, so I’ll hurry.”
Hiroshima: 時間がなか”けえ”、急ぐわ。(Jikan ga naka “kee”, isogu wa.)
Standard: 好きだから、買いました。(Suki dakara, kaimashita.) – “I liked it, so I bought it.”
Hiroshima: 好き”じゃけえ”、買うた。(Suki “jakee”, kōta.)
— Language Corner: The Negative Ending ～ん (n) —
To make a verb negative, Hiroshima-ben often replaces the ～ない (nai) ending with a short ～ん (n). This adds to the dialect’s faster pace.
Standard: 何をしていますか？ (Nani o shiteimasu ka?) – “What are you doing?”
Hiroshima: 何しよるん？ (Nani shiyorun?)
Standard: 知らない。(Shiranai.) – “I don’t know.”
Hiroshima: 知らん。(Shiran.)
Standard: 食べない。(Tabenai.) – “I won’t eat.”
Hiroshima: 食べん。(Taben.)
Quintessential Hiroshima Vocabulary
Hiroshima-ben has many unique, expressive words. You’ll hear them all over the city.
— Language Corner Hiroshima Words —
ぶち (buchi) – This is the Hiroshima word for “very” or “a lot,” replacing とても (totemo). ぶち美味い (buchi umai) means “very delicious.”
たいぎい (taigii) – A cornerstone of the dialect. It means “tiring,” “troublesome,” or “a hassle” (面倒くさい, mendokusai). 「ああ、たいぎい。」 (Ā, taigii.) (‘Ah, what a pain.’) is a classic phrase.
わし (washi) – A first-person pronoun (“I”) used by men, replacing 俺 (ore) or 僕 (boku). It has a strong, sometimes old-fashioned or gruff, sound.
たう (tau) – This verb means “to reach” (届く, *todoku*). 「手がたわん。」 (Te ga tawan.) is a common phrase for “I can’t reach it.” (Note the ～ん negative!)
こらえる (koraeru) – This means “to forgive” or “to put up with” (許す, yurusu or 我慢する, gaman suru). 「こらえてつかあさい。」 (Koraete tsukāsai.) is a polite Hiroshima-ben way to say “Please forgive me.”
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