Translation guide
Describes a very thin person or body part, often with a nuance of being unattractively or unusually thin. Can also refer to tight-fitting clothing or, informally, to inside information.
Describe a person or body part that is very thin, often with a negative or informal nuance.
Neutral way to say someone is thin. Can be used for skinny, but without strong negative connotation unless context implies it.
彼はとても痩せている。
He is very skinny.
Describe clothing that fits very close to the body, like skinny jeans.
Loanword from English, commonly used for 'skinny jeans' or tight-fitting pants.
スキニージーンズが流行っている。
Skinny jeans are in fashion.
Refer to confidential or insider information, as in 'the skinny'.
Formal term for inside information. Not slang, but conveys the meaning.
彼は内部情報を漏らした。
He leaked the inside information.
The English slang 'the skinny' (meaning inside information) does not have a direct Japanese equivalent. Use 内部情報 or 裏情報 instead. Using スキニー for this meaning is rare and may not be understood.
Colloquial and somewhat negative, meaning bony or scrawny. Often used for people who are too thin.
彼女、ガリガリだね。
She's really skinny, isn't she?
Informal and slightly derogatory term for a skinny person, like 'skinny little thing'.
あの痩せっぽちの子は誰？
Who's that skinny kid?
Literally 'nothing but skin and bones', used for someone extremely thin.
彼は骨と皮ばかりだった。
He was nothing but skin and bones.
Onomatopoeic word for something tight-fitting, often used for clothes that are snug or clingy.
そのTシャツ、ちょっとピチピチじゃない？
Isn't that T-shirt a bit too tight?
Loanword meaning tight or close-fitting, used for various clothing items.
タイトなスカートを履いている。
She's wearing a tight skirt.
Literally 'back information', meaning insider or behind-the-scenes info. More casual.
その件について裏情報を教えてよ。
Give me the inside scoop on that matter.
The English word 'skinny' is sometimes used in Japanese slang to mean inside information, but it's not widely understood. Better to use native terms.
Not commonly used; may cause confusion.
スキニーを教えて。
Give me the skinny.