"Uncle-style phrases"

"Uncle-style phrasing" (ojisan kōbun) refers to the distinctive expressions and message styles used by middle-aged men on social media platforms such as LINE.

On LINE, it is also called "uncle LINE." When used by middle-aged women, it is referred to as "aunt-style phrasing."

The term "uncle-style phrasing" originated from a tweet posted in April 2017 introducing a "Let's Pretend to Be an Uncle" course featuring LINE messages typical of middle-aged men. In this context, "phrasing" (kōbun) deviates from its original meaning to signify "writing style." This new usage was ranked second in the "Sanseido Dictionary Editors' Choice: New Word of the Year 2022," represented by "uncle-style phrasing."

Example phrases:
"Chaaan, ohha~! 😚 Today's lunch was so delicious, I wanna eat you up too, Chaaan~ 😍💕 (lol) ✋ Just kidding 😃💗"

"Thanks for your hard work~ ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و 🎵 What kind of day was it today 😘❗❓ I'm really worried about you (._.) 😱💦😰 Times like these, ya gotta eat something yummy 🍗🤤 and regain your energy, right 😆"

The perspective of the reader, particularly that of the female recipient, is lacking. The communicator fails to imagine how their own communication style and message content, which further lowers their already poor self-esteem, will be perceived. They desperately want to attract the recipient's attention or become closer, often harboring ulterior motives toward younger women. There is a delicate balance between wanting to close the distance and fearing rejection. Middle-aged and older individuals accustomed to business emails with seasonal greetings and status updates have a different understanding of written expression compared to younger generations for whom SNS messaging is routine. It is speculated that remnants of the email era on feature phones have created this unique style.

In September 2021, Mayuka Umezawa, a former AKB part-timer and ramen shop owner, reported harassment, including sexual harassment, received from "ramen critic" Hants Endo. Endo posted his opinions on his blog, and his writing style and content became a topic of discussion as typical uncle-style phrasing. Regarding this incident, while Endo did not apologize to Umezawa, he acknowledged the uncle-style phrasing, writing, "Good evening. It's uncle-style phrasing (lol) Hants Endo www." At the Game Market in November 2021, multiple parody-style indie card games based on uncle-style phrasing were released, such as "Uncle Message" and "Let's Make Uncle-Style Phrasing, Shall We? 😁👍" Despite being indie card games, the former was still available in the board game sections of electronics retailers as of 2023. In 2025, Yoshimoto Uncle's song "No Reply Yet 💦❓ Uncle-Style Phrasing 😁❗️" was widely referenced in short videos and TikTok, ranking third in the "Simeji Presents Z-Generation Trend Awards 2025" in the "Buzzed Artists & Songs 2025" category. Adapted from Wikipedia.