流行（りゅうこう、ryuukoう）
- trend / fashion

The Japanese word 流行 (りゅうこう) primarily means "trend," "fashion," "vogue," "popularity," or "epidemic." It refers to something that is widely popular or prevalent at a particular time. It can be used for various aspects, from clothing styles and music to diseases and social phenomena. The meaning depends on the context of the sentence. The core idea is something that is currently popular or spreading. The verb form, derived from the noun, often implies "to spread" or "to become popular". The verb form is usually expressed as [流行]する [ryuukou]suru.

⚫︎新しいファッションが流行している。 Translation: The new fashion is trending. ⚫︎その歌手の歌が若者の間で流行している。 Translation: That singer's song is popular among young people. ⚫︎インフルエンザが流行している。 Translation: The influenza is prevalent.

This word is very versatile. You can use [流行] when discussing anything from fashion and hairstyles to music and entertainment. You can also use it to discuss the spread of a disease or a particular social trend. Use it when you want to describe something that is "in" or "popular" at the moment. Use the verb form [流行]する when something is becoming popular or spreading. For instance, you could say 新しい言葉が流行している (ataraしい kotoba ga ryuukou shite iru - "New words are trending"). Be careful when describing something negatively; if a disease is 流行ing, it can be viewed as alarming.

⚫︎The word is most commonly written with the kanji 流行. ⚫︎The reading is りゅうこう (ryuukou). ⚫︎The verb form is 流行する (ryuukou suru), which means "to be in fashion," "to be popular," or "to spread." ⚫︎The okurigana (送りがな) "する" follows the kanji to denote the verb form. There are no other standard ways to write this word.

⚫︎人気(にんき) - popularity ⚫︎ファッション - fashion ⚫︎トレンド - trend ⚫︎ブーム - boom ⚫︎はやり - trend, vogue ⚫︎ポピュラー - popular

⚫︎不人気(ふにんき) - unpopularity ⚫︎時代遅れ(じだいおくれ) - outdated ⚫︎廃れる(すたれる) - to go out of fashion, to decline

最近、韓国のドラマが流行していますね。 ・Translation: Lately, Korean dramas are trending, aren't they? ・Explanation: This sentence describes the current popularity of Korean dramas, indicating they are a 流行.

今年はロングスカートが流行するらしい。 ・Translation: It seems like long skirts will be in style this year. ・Explanation: This sentence discusses a fashion trend, predicting that long skirts will be 流行.

The kanji 流 (ryuu/naga-re) means "flow," "current," or "style". The kanji 行 (kou/ik-u) means "to go," or "to do." Together, 流行 literally means "to flow and to go", hence the idea of something spreading or moving in the current or being followed. The word's etymology clearly reflects its meaning of something spreading and gaining popularity.