253 / 308
承認欲求 shounin yokkyuu
The hunger to be seen.
What does shounin yokkyuu mean?
A real psychology term — the need for approval — that social media turned into everyday slang. Admitting your own is charmingly honest; diagnosing someone else's is a jab.
Example
承認欲求が強すぎて、投稿を消しては上げ直してる。
My need for validation is so strong I keep deleting and reposting.
Vibe
Who you can say this to, and how it lands.
Friends only Casual. Natural with friends, out of place at work or with strangers.
Culture note
In a culture that prizes modesty, saying out loud that you want attention feels slightly taboo — which is exactly why the word thrives as a self-deprecating joke.
The story behind shounin yokkyuu
承認欲求 is a translation of a technical term, the need for recognition that sits near the top of a famous psychological hierarchy of needs. For decades it stayed in textbooks and self-help shelves. Then social media handed everyone a numeric readout of how much recognition they were receiving, and the word walked straight into daily speech.
In a culture that treats modesty as basic manners, saying out loud that you want to be seen is faintly scandalous, which is precisely why the phrase works as a joke about yourself. Aimed at someone else it is a small blade: it reframes whatever they did as a bid for attention, and no defence against that sounds convincing.
Get shounin yokkyuu in your pocket
承認欲求 is one of 308 words in YABAI, a Japanese culture snack for Android. Every word comes with its meaning, an example sentence, a vibe check and a story like the one above — in 13 languages, read aloud by your device. Paid app: no ads, no sign-up, no subscription.
