English

Noun

waifu

1. (fandom slang) A fictional character (generally female) from non-live-action visual media (typically an anime, manga, or video game) whom one is attracted to and considers a significant other.
   • 2008 October 30, Galen, “Re: Japanese launch campaign to marry comic book characters”, in rec.arts.manga, Usenet:

     So long as I get to claim my virtual waifu and our 30 virtual children as tax deductions, I don't really care if I can't touch her.

   • 2009 December 31, Dave Watson, “Re: K-ON! 2nd season announced”, in rec.arts.anime.misc, Usenet:

     Seriously, it was fun, but here's hoping that they lay off some of the bits that got old real quick, like Mio getting scared easily. I would not like to have someone that timid as "mai waifu" (as if I'd marry a bloody high school girl anyway). Makes me wonder what that says about the otaku who worship her.

   • 2012, Dani Cavallaro, Kyoto Animation: A Critical Study and Filmography, McFarland & Company (2012), ISBN 9780786470686, page 126:

     Bradley Meek's portrayal of Lucky☆Star's protagonist is particularly worthy of notice in assessing the anime's take on the art-play dyad: “Konata Izumi is a high school otaku hardcore enough to know trivia about seventies giant robot and tokusatsu shows,” the critic proposes, “but not hardcore enough to own a bodypillow of her waifu [a 2D significant other]. […]

   • For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:waifu.

Translations

Synonyms

• wife
• wifey

Related terms

• mai waifu
• husbando

See also

• best girl

Japanese

Romanization

waifu

1. rōmaji reading of ワイフ