Etymology

First appeared in the 1990s. Varied theories regarding the term's derivation.^[1]

Two possible derivations are attributed to bouncers at night clubs, as slang abbreviations to indicate a young woman who was underage and should therefore be denied entry.

• From 高校生 ‎(kōkōsei, “high-school student”) + ギャル ‎(gyaru, “gal, young woman”, originally referring to someone not a minor).
• From 格好 ‎(kakkō, “appearance, seeming”) + ギャル ‎(gyaru).

Another possible derivation is attributed to the mass media.

• From 子 ‎(ko, “child; young; small”) + ギャル ‎(gyaru).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ko̞ɡja̠ɾ̠ɯᵝ]