Beyond the Expected Boundaries (#9)

禿げる hageru, taken literally, means "to go bald." However, among the younger generation, it's also synonymous with "exceeding expectations." This expression is used as a play on words to exaggerate emotions like what is beyond the expected boundaries.

There are two primary reasons for this shift in meaning.

One reason is the phonetic similarity. The beginning of 禿(は)げる hageru sounds like the start of 激(はげ)しい hageshii (fierce), creating a natural association. In text-based social media, it's common to humorously replace 激(はげ)しく hageshiku (fiercely) with 禿(は)げしく hageshiku, such as changing "激しく同意(どうい)" hagesiku-doui (completely agree) to 禿げしく同意 hageshiku-doui.

Another reason lies in its suitability as hyperbole. By using a metaphor for a physiological phenomenon that doesn't occur in real life but has the impact of making one's head go bald, it effectively conveys its intensity.

Some patterns are written in hiragana 'はげる' or katakana 'ハゲる.'

While it doesn't intend to mock genuinely bald individuals, it may be offensive to those who are sensitive about their baldness. Therefore, it's essential to exercise caution when using this expression in certain situations.

文化祭って楽しいね
bunka-sai tte tanoshii ne

よかったら私のクラスも見てって
yokatta ra watashi no kurasu mo mite-tte
手作りアクセサリー売ってるから
tezukuri akusesarii utte-ru kara

もうレイシアちゃんのアクキー３つ買っちゃった💕
moo Lasia-chan no akukii mi-ttsu ka-ccha-tta

マジ！？めっちゃ嬉しい禿げる😍😍😍
maji meccha ureshii hageru

Translation文化祭って楽しいね: School festivals are a blast!
よかったら私のクラスも見てって 手作りアクセサリー売ってるから: You should totally drop by my class too. We're selling cute handmade accessories.
もうレイシアちゃんのアクキー３つ買っちゃった: Oh, I've already snagged three of Lasia's acrylic keychains.
マジ！？めっちゃ嬉しい禿げる: Seriously? That makes me crazy super happy!

How It Is Used in Social Media

嬉(うれ)しすぎて禿(は)げるかと思(おも)った。

(ureshi-sugi te hageru ka to omo-tta)

Literal translation: I felt it might make me too happy and make me bald.

私(わたし)のオリキャラ可愛(かわい)すぎて禿(は)げそう。

(watashi no ori-kyara kawai-sugi te hage-so)

Literal translation: My original character is too cute and might make me go bald.

好(す)きな子(こ)から告(こく)られた禿(は)げそう。

(suki na ko kara kokurare-ta hage-so)

Literal translation: The girl I like confessed her love to me and I'm so happy it might make me go bald.

フォロワー1(いち)万人(まんにん)達成(たっせい)嬉(うれ)しすぎて禿(は)げた。

('follower' ichi man-nin tassei ureshi-sugi te hage-ta)

Literal translation: I was happy and bald because I had 10,000 followers.

Pessimistic Expression

It can be used to highlight a negative connotation. However, it may create the impression that the person is genuinely experiencing baldness as a physical condition, leading to unnecessary concern. It's important to think about how to use the term in a manner that minimizes any potential misunderstanding.

昨日(きのう)納車(のうしゃ)されたばかりの新車(しんしゃ)が盗(ぬす)まれた禿(は)げそう。

(kino nosha sare-ta bakari no shinsha ga nusumare-ta hage-so)

Literal translation: I'm going bald because someone stole my new car that was just delivered yesterday.

うまくいかんくて禿(は)げそう。

(umaku ikan-kute hage-so)

Literal translation: I'm going bald because it's not what I want.