いもっぽい

い

も

っ

ぽ

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

uncool; tacky; unsophisticated; provincial

colloquialusually written using kana alone

Colloquial adjective describing someone or something as unstylish, rustic, or lacking urban polish. Often used for fashion, behavior, or appearance that seems out of touch with city trends. The nuance is mildly derogatory but not extremely harsh.

あの服ふく、ちょっと芋いもっぽくない？
Those clothes are a bit tacky, don't you think?

彼かれの話はなし方かたはなんか芋いもっぽい感かんじがする。

His way of speaking feels kind of provincial.

Written forms

芋いもっぽい
Kanji spelling is used, but the word is usually written in kana.
イモっぽい
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is also used, especially in casual or emphatic contexts.

Kanji

芋taro, yam, tuber

Similar words

ダサい
ダサい is a more common and stronger slang term for 'uncool' or 'lame', while 芋っぽい specifically carries a nuance of being rustic or countrified.
田舎いなかくさい
田舎くさい means 'smelling of the countryside' and is more directly about rural unsophistication, whereas 芋っぽい is a lighter, more playful slang term.

Etymology

Derived from 芋 (いも, 'potato') + っぽい (-ppoi, '-ish, -like'), suggesting something 'potato-like' in the sense of being earthy, rustic, or unsophisticated. The exact origin of the slang usage is uncertain, but it plays on the image of potatoes as a humble, rural staple.