Oshi

Oshi refers to the person or character you support and cheer for the most.

It could be a specific member of an idol group, an anime or manga character, an actor, a voice actor, an athlete, there are no limits on who or what can be your oshi.

The word comes from the verb “osu”, meaning to recommend or push forward. It carries the nuance of liking someone so much that you want to tell everyone about them. More than a simple "favorite," oshi implies an active desire to spread the word about someone's appeal and support their success.

Originally a term used among idol fans, oshi has become part of everyday Japanese conversation. People now use it for food, places, brands, and all sorts of things beyond people. Phrases like "my oshi café" or "my oshi color" are completely normal in casual conversation.

The Japanese verb osu means to recommend someone or something as worthy of attention. Oshi is the noun form of this verb.

The word traces back to the Japanese entertainment industry in the 1980s. Record labels would pitch new artists to TV and radio stations using the phrase "uchi no oshi" (our pick), and radio programs began featuring segments like "this month's top oshi."

It spread as fan terminology from the late 1990s through the 2000s. Fans of Morning Musume started calling their favorite member their oshi-men (short for oshi member). When AKB48 introduced their Sōsenkyō (general election), where fans could vote for their favorite members, the word exploded in popularity. In 2011, oshi-men was nominated for the annual Buzzword Awards in Japan.

From there, it expanded well beyond idols to anime characters, actors, athletes, and more. In 2021, oshi-katsu (the act of supporting your oshi) was nominated for the Buzzword Awards, cementing oshi as an everyday word used across all generations.

How oshi differs from suki (like)

Suki (like) is a feeling that stays within yourself. Oshi carries a more active nuance: you want to recommend them to others, cheer them on, and watch them succeed. You don't expect anything in return, your oshi's success is your joy. That's the heart of what makes oshi different.

Common related terms

Any activity related to supporting your oshi is called oshi-katsu (oshi activity). Going to concerts, buying merchandise, posting about them on social media, all of it counts as oshi-katsu.

Supporting only one member within a group is called tan-oshi (single oshi), while supporting the entire group is hako-oshi (box oshi). The "box" (hako) refers to a concert venue or theater. Your absolute top oshi is called kami-oshi (god-level oshi).

Switching your oshi to someone else is called oshi-hen (oshi change). Fans who share the same oshi are called dōtan (same supporter). Some welcome having dōtan, while others prefer to avoid them. The latter attitude is known as dōtan kyohi (dōtan refusal).