Some phrases work in so many situations, especially when you don’t need or want to be specific, and that’s exactly what makes やつ (yatsu) so useful. やつ is a phrase you don’t really learn from textbooks, but it’s something you use almost all the time, especially when you’re a bit uncertain. “Yatsu” is great go-to phrase when you want to vaguely refer to “something” or “someone” without being too precise. But when should you use it, and when shouldn’t you? Let’s break down how to use this super useful phrase that you don’t really learn in your Japanese textbook or JLPT prep course.

What Does Yatsu (やつ) Mean, Exactly?

Yatsu can vaguely refer to physical things like people, places, or objects. The term is rather imprecise, which is exactly what makes it so convenient. It’s especially useful when you’re unsure how to refer to something or someone, or whenever you’d rather keep who you are referring to vague. 

Yatsu is a handy phrase you can use or fall back on whenever you are uncertain about what something or someone is.

The original version of yatsu (やつ) comes from the word yatsuko (やつこ), which is an old Japanese word used for servants or slaves. In kanji, it is written as 家つ子. 家(ya) means house, and 子 (ko) means child, so altogether, it means “a person of the house”.

The actual kanji for yatsu itself is 奴, which also carries the same meaning of servant and slave.

Over time, this evolved into something you use to refer to something or someone. If you use it to refer to someone, it still sounds rough or disrespectful; when used with objects, it sounds more neutral.

Grammar Structure for Yatsu (やつ)

やつ is basically a noun (person, place, or thing) that can be used to refer to anything in general. So, you attach it to descriptors, mainly adjectives and verbs that are being used as adjectives.

	English	Japanese	Romaji
Yatsu with Adjective	Blue thing/one	青いやつ	Aoi yatsu
Yatsu with Verb	The thing/one you made	作ったやつ	Tsukutta yatsu

You almost always use yatsu with descriptors; it’s almost never used on its own to refer to a person or thing. But it is common to use it with “this”, “that,” and “that over there” to specifically refer to an item or thing. 

English	Japanese	Romaji
This thing/one	このやつ	kono yatsu
That thing/one	そのやつ	sono yatsu
That thing/one over there	あのやつ	ano yatsu

Note that you do not ever use このやつ, そのやつ, and あのやつ to refer to people. In a later section, we will describe how to use yatsu to refer to a person with “this,” “that,” and “that over there.”

Difference Between やつ and こと 

If you’ve studied Japanese for a while, you’ve probably learned こと (koto), which is another way of referring to something without being specific. The two can seem similar, but they’re used for different kinds of things. こと refers to abstract matters, such as actions, events, experiences, or information, while やつ refers to a specific “one” or “thing,” like an object, a show, or a person. Another difference is tone: こと works in almost any situation, but やつ is casual and best saved for friends and family.

Example:

昨日見たやつ、面白かったね。
Kinou mita yatsu, omoshirokatta ne.
That thing we watched yesterday was fun, wasn’t it?

Example 2:

昨日言ったこと、覚えてる？
Kinou itta koto, oboeteru?
Do you remember what I said yesterday?

In the first sentence, やつ points to a specific thing, like a movie or TV show. In the second, こと refers to the content of what was said, which isn’t a physical thing.

Using Yatsu to Vaguely Refer to Objects

You know those times when you’re not sure what “that thing” is, but you still need to refer to or describe it. This is one of the most common uses of yatsu. It’s an extremely convenient phrase when you need to refer to an object you might not be sure what it’s called or even what it is.

Example: 

赤いやつの上にありますよ。
Akai yatsu no ue ni arimasu yo. 
It’s on top of the red thing

Yatsu is also super useful when there are many objects that look the same or identical, so you can point one out and say “that one.” It can be similar to how we use “one” in English to point to a specific object out of many similar ones. 

Example:

すみません、青いやつをください。
Sumimasen, aoi yatsu o kudasai.
Excuse me, I’ll take the blue one.

Using Yatsu for Referring to People

やつ (Yatsu) can be used very similarly to 人 (hito), but there are some differences. Generally, you only use yatsu for males. It’s kind of like using the word “guy” or “fella” in English. So, it can be used with females, but it’s just not that common. 

Example:

友達はどんなやつ？
Tomodachi wa donna yatsu?
What kind of person is your friend?

Using Yatsu to Rudely Refer to People

Using yatsu is not considered very polite or formal, so it’s not appropriate in work settings. Instead, it’s common to use among friends, family, and people you know well. In some cases, it can be considered rude or derogatory to refer to someone as yatsu. It’s also often used when you want to be discreet and avoid using someone’s name.

Example:

元彼はだめなやつだな〜
Moto kare ha dame na yatsu danaa
My ex-boyfriend is just a terrible type of guy…

Yatsu is not always rude or negative in connotation. It’s a casual term to refer to other people, whether you know them or not. 

Wondering about some Japanese curse words to avoid? Check out our blog: 23 Japanese Swear Words You Should NOT Use

Using Yatsu for Abstract Things

やつ can also be used for abstract things, like a feeling, a TV show, a trend, a song, or anything else that’s hard to describe or doesn’t come to mind right away. It’s a great fallback when you can’t remember the name of something, and it works much like “that thing” in English.

Example:

最近流行ってるやつ、知ってる？
Saikin hayatteru yatsu, shitteru?
Do you know that thing that’s trending lately?

Example 2:

あのドラマのやつ、もう見た？
Ano dorama no yatsu, mou mita?
Have you watched that drama thing yet?

Conjugating Yatsu

While you can say このやつ (kono yatsu) or そのやつ (sono yatsu) for things, you cannot use it when referring to this or that person. Here is how you can conjugate yatsu based on whether you want to say this, that, or that person over there.

English	Japanese	Romaji
This person/guy	こいつ	koitsu
That person/guy	そいつ	soitsu
That person/guy over there	あいつ	aitsu

Example:

そいつが失礼だね
Soitsu ga shitsurei da ne
That guy’s rude, huh?

Conclusion: You Can Use やつ (Yatsu) for Almost Everything 

やつ (yatsu) is one of those words you won’t find in your textbook, but you’ll hear it all the time in everyday conversations. Whether you’re pointing out an object, describing a person, or fumbling for the name of something, it’s a handy fallback that makes you sound much more natural. 

Just remember it’s a casual phrase that works well with friends, and depending on how you use it, it can come across as rude!

Learn How to Use Yatsu Like a Native with Coto Academy

If you want to learn how to use natural expressions, such as やつ (yatsu), like a native, take our conversation courses at Coto Academy! We focus on developing a natural intuition for speaking Japanese, so sign up if you want to start conversing in Japanese fluently rather than like a textbook.

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FAQ:

What does やつ (yatsu) mean?

It’s a casual, flexible word for “thing,” “one,” or “guy.” You can use it to vaguely refer to objects, people, or even abstract things when you don’t know the exact name or don’t want to be specific.

Is やつ rude?

It depends on the context. Between friends and family it’s perfectly natural, but it can sound rude or derogatory when referring to someone you don’t like. Avoid it at work or with people you’ve just met.

Can I use やつ for women?

You can, but やつ is mostly used for men, like “guy” or “fella” in English. It’s less common for women, so you’ll hear it much more often with men.

What are こいつ, そいつ, and あいつ?

They’re casual, rough ways to say “this guy,” “that guy,” and “that guy over there,” made from やつ. They’re used for people, so save them for close friends, since they can sound rude with others.