Dopagaki (ドパガキ): The Dopamine-Addicted Generation
Key facts
- ドパガキ = ドーパミン (dopamine) + ガキ (gaki, brat/kid)
- Means someone hooked on short videos, games, and instant digital stimulation
- Rose to fame in 2026, selected for the JC/JK Buzzword Awards first half
- Used self-deprecatingly — not a medical diagnosis
- Adult variants: ドパオジ (dopa-oji, middle-aged men) and ドパおば (dopa-oba, middle-aged women)
What does ドパガキ mean?
ドパガキ is a portmanteau of ドーパミン (dopamine, the brain's reward chemical) and ガキ (gaki, a casual and slightly rude word for "kid" or "brat"). Put together, it means a "dopamine brat" — someone who constantly chases quick, high-intensity stimulation from short-form videos, mobile games, gacha pulls, and social media feeds.
The word carries a mix of mockery and self-awareness. Young Japanese people use it to laugh at their own inability to put down the phone — scrolling TikTok while drying their hair, watching Reels in the bath, losing hours to gacha games. It is not an insult thrown at others so much as a label people apply to themselves.
How to use it
ドパガキ works as a noun. You can call yourself one, joke about a friend, or describe behavior as "dopagaki-like."
ドライヤーしながらTikTok止められない、完全にドパガキだわ。
Doraiyā shinagara TikTok tomerarenai, kanzen ni dopagaki da wa. — I can't stop scrolling TikTok while blow-drying my hair. I'm a total dopamine brat.
3時間もショート動画見てた、ドパガキすぎる。
San-jikan mo shōto dōga miteta, dopagaki sugiru. — I watched short videos for three hours straight. So dopamine-brat of me.
最近集中力ないの、ドパガキ脳になったんかな。
Saikin shūchūryoku nai no, dopagaki nō ni natta n kana. — I can't focus lately. Maybe my brain turned into a dopamine-brat brain.
Where it came from
The term started appearing on X (Twitter) around late 2024, reportedly sparked by discussions around Mrs. Green Apple's song "Lilac." It spread through Japanese internet culture through 2025 and exploded into mainstream awareness in June 2026, when it was selected for the JC/JK Buzzword Awards first-half rankings — a survey of what Japanese high school girls are actually saying.
Its timing is no accident. Japan, like everywhere else, has seen short-form video consumption surge among teens. The word fills a gap: there was no casual Japanese term for "the kind of kid who can't look away from an algorithmic feed." ドパガキ captures that specific modern condition with humor instead of moral panic.
Importantly, it is not a medical or psychological term. Experts have cautioned against using it as a blanket label for all young people. It is internet slang — self-deprecating, playful, and aware of its own irony.
Related words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ドパガキ | dopagaki | Dopamine-addicted kid (the base word) |
| ドパオジ | dopa-oji | Middle-aged man version — "dopamine uncle" |
| ドパおば | dopa-oba | Middle-aged woman version — "dopamine aunt" |
| アドガキ | adogaki | Adrenaline + gaki — seeks thrills, slightly different from dopamine-seeking |
| ドパ中 | dopa-chū | Currently in a dopamine binge — "in the zone" of scrolling |
Should you use it?
ドパガキ is casual and self-deprecating. It is fine among friends or online, but the word ガキ (brat) carries a slightly dismissive tone, so avoid calling someone else a ドパガキ unless you are close. Using it about yourself is always safe and relatable — it is the kind of word that makes people laugh in recognition.
Quick reference
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Written | ドパガキ (katakana only) |
| Reading | どぱがき / dopagaki |
| Meaning | Dopamine addict; someone hooked on short-form digital stimulation |
| Origin | ドーパミン (dopamine) + ガキ (brat/kid) |
| First appeared | Late 2024 on X; mainstream in 2026 |
| Formality | Very casual — friends and social media only |
More modern Japanese slang: エアイ (eai), 滅 (metsu), or browse the full guide list.