moe

Moe (pronounced MOH-eh) is a Japanese fan word for the warm, protective affection you feel toward a character, usually an adorable one, in anime, manga or games.

What moe means

Wikipedia describes moe as feelings of strong affection, mainly toward characters in anime, manga, video games and other media aimed at otaku, and says it has spread to affection for almost any subject. It’s tied to cuteness. A character with endearing quirks, a clumsy habit or a shy smile is “moe.”

It works as an exclamation too: fans say “moe~” when a character does something unbearably cute. “Gap moe” is the charm of a character acting against type, like a tough fighter who secretly loves kittens.

Examples

• “The way she gets flustered every time is pure moe.”
• “Gap moe: the scary captain knits sweaters for his crew.”
• “That show is basically an hour of moe characters drinking tea.”

Where it came from

Moe comes from the Japanese verb moeru, “to sprout” or “to bud.” Wikipedia says the slang use began in the late 1980s and early 1990s and its exact origin is uncertain. It became mainstream in Japan: “moe” made the top ten of Japan’s New Words and Buzzwords Awards in 2005, and in 2018 it was added to the Japanese dictionary Kōjien.

In English, keep the pronunciation in mind: it’s two syllables, MOH-eh, not the name Moe.

Related terms

• Kawaii: cute.
• Waifu: a favorite female character.
• Husbando: a favorite male character.
• Chibi: a cute, big-headed art style.

See more terms like this in our anime slang guide.