おっぱい

Japanese

Etymology

Generally agreed upon as originating from baby talk.

Derivation unclear. Possibilities include:

• A shift from ををうまい (wo wo umai, literally “huh huh delicious”), as something a baby might say while breastfeeding.

/wo wo umai/ → /o o umai/ → /oːmai/ → /opːai/

While suggestive, the phonetic changes required seem unlikely. Moreover, the pitch accent differs, in that うまい (umai) has a high pitch on the ma followed by a downstep, while おっぱい (oppai) has a high pitch on the initial o followed by a downstep.

• A shift from 一杯 (ippai, “one serving, one cupful; full”), as something a baby might say when done breastfeeding, or when asking to do so.

/ipːai/ → /opːai/

This seems more likely, as the phonetics align better: only one vowel changes, and the pitch accent in ippai is similar with a high pitch on the initial i followed by a downstep.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) お​っぱい [óꜜppàì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [o̞p̚pa̠i]

Noun

おっぱい or オッパイ • (oppai) 

1. (childish) milk, breastmilk (liquid)

   Synonyms: 乳 (chi, chichi), (adult word for breastmilk) 母乳 (bonyū)

   おっぱいが出(で)るようになる

   oppai ga deru yō ni naru

   to become able to produce milk

2. (anatomy, childish) boobies, titties (breasts)

   Synonyms: 乳 (chi, chichi), 乳袋 (chibukuro), 乳房 (chibusa), (more general meaning of chest) 胸 (mune)

   • 2000 August 10, Andō, Yūma; Asaki, Masashi, “喧(けん)嘩(か)屋(や)　国(くに)光(みつ) [Kunimitsu, Brawl Delivery]”, in サイコメトラーEIJI(エイジ) [Psychometrer Eiji], volume 24 (fiction), Tokyo: Kodansha, →ISBN:

     キャサリーン！オッパイ　大(おお)きくなれよぉー！

     Kyasarīn! Oppai ōkiku nare yōo!

     Katharine! Your boobs! Grow them bigger, okay!?

   • 2015, 谷川ニコ [Nico Tanigawa], “喪79 [Fail 79]”, in 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い！ [No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!], ガンガンONLINE [Gangan Online]:

     八(や)ツ橋(はし)のやわらかさは小(しょう)学(がく)生(せい)のおっぱいと同(おな)じ…　まじかよ　京(きょう)都(と)人(じん)ってど変(へん)態(たい)だな…

     Yatsuhashi no yawarakasa wa shōgakusei no oppai to onaji… maji ka yo Kyōto-jin tte do-hentai da na…

     Yatsuhashi are as soft as the tits of an elementary schooler… You serious? Kyoto must be seriously perverted…

Derived terms

• (childish) ぱいぱい (paipai)
• (breasts): (reversal slang) ぱいおつ (paiotsu)

Descendants

• Chinese: 歐派／欧派

Further reading

• Entry at Gogen Allguide (in Japanese)