What's the Japanese word for a video game addict?

Question

The word means somebody who is addicted to games and online chat etc., and rarely leaves the house. I don't know if it's a pejorative word but it's used so regularly it's now just making it's way into Western language. I just can't remember what it is! Can anybody help?

Answer 1

It's オタク (otaku).

Usually written in Katakana. You pronunce it like 'o-ta-coo' in English.

It means someone who is addicted to video/online games, manga, anime, etc. Some otakus don't even leave their house because they are too focused to their "virtual life". Those kind of people who confine themselves at home are usually called 引きこもり (hikikomori).

Answer 2

Well there are several terms to denote similar people...

オタク otaku:

geek, nerd, enthusiast, usually used to refer to people obsessed with anime, manga, cosplay, visual novels (games), etc.

秋葉系 Akiba-kei:

similar to otaku, but this one always refers to anime/manga fans.

引きこもり hikikomori:

someone who shuts himself in his own house/apartment, completely withdrawn from society.

There are also some general terms in Japanese for nerds and geeks, though these are rarely used:

ナード naado   "nerd"

ギーク giiku   "geek"

ダサ男 dasao   "dork/uncool guy".

"otaku" is probably the most famous one in the US.

Answer 3

Game Otaku  or Game mania

otaku could be anime otaku or something like that, but you want to say addiction for game and internet...

BTW if someone who doesn't work (stay home allday to sped time on internet) called Neet...pronounece "NIITO"

Answer 4

オタク (otaku) means "geek" or "enthusiast" in general - I'm sure it would apply to video games. But just to make it more specialized, I think they would say: オタクのビデオゲーム (otaku no bideo geemu).

You could also try any of these:

ナード (naado) = nerd

ギーク (giiku) = geek

ださ男 (dasao) = an uncool man; dork; geek; dweeb; nerd

アルファギーク (arufuagiiku) = alpha geek (kind of computer nerd)

Answer 5

you mean OTAKU (=nerd)?