A recent slang term that has naturally evolved with increased use of the internet and virtual interaction. The word is a mixture of リアル and 充実 (じゅうじつ) and refers to a person who is has a rich and satisfying offline (real) life. This is meant in contrast to an online (virtual) life that revolves around internet use and online social networking.
リアルが充実している者
リアルが じゅうじつしている もの
A person with a rich and satisfying offline life.
The opposite of リア充 is 非リア – a ‘non-real-lifer’ or someone who does not have a satisfying offline life.
Increasingly then, we can identify a class of people who spend most of their time playing online games and using message boards / social media in place of actual interaction with real people. They may not have developed many connections with people in their daily life and may attempt to avoid personal contact, preferring online interaction. As such, リア充 is often used by people who consider themselves not to have a fulfilling real life, often in envy at those who do have friends, hobbies or a lover in life outside of the internet.
The below graphic captures this sentiment quite well.
みんな騙されるな。ほんとのリア充は「リア充」なんて言葉絶対知らないぞ。
みんなだまされるな。 ほんとのリアじゅうは 「リアじゅう」なんてことば ぜったい しらないぞ。
Guys, let’s not fool ourselves. People who really have a good offline life don’t know words like ‘Ria-Jyu’.
リア充侵入禁止
リアじゅう しんにゅう きんし
No entry to ‘Real-lifers’.
Another graphic made depicting the divide between lonely netizens and people who enjoy real relationships.
Another example of the term in use:
現実が充実していない。（ネット上ではわいわい騒ぐけど）
げんじつが じゅうじつしていない。（ネットじょうでは わいわい さわぐけど）
I don’t have a satisfying offline life (although I’m really active online).
Often Otaku use the below expression towards people they consider リア充, which translates to ‘Go blow yourself up, Real-lifers!’
オタクはリア充を疎ましく感じており「リア充爆発しろ」などと発言することもしばしばあるが、その際の正しい返答は「僕が爆発したら悲しむ人がいるから (キリッ)」であるらしい。
オタクは リアじゅうを うとましく かんじており 「リアじゅう ばくはつ しろ」などと はつげんすることも しばしばあるが、 そのさいの ただしい へんとうは 「ぼくは ばくはつしたら かなしむひとが いるから (キリッ)」 であるらしい。
Sometimes Otaku will say “Die, Real-lifers!” when they are annoyed. Apparently the correct response to that is to say “But people will miss me if I’m dead” (*grin*).
What do you think? I felt that ‘real-lifer’ captured the meaning of リア充 quite well, but how would you translate it?
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