Japanese by Example
Learning through examples in manga

Dorky shirt my mom bought me with ダサイ

Manga panel from からかい上手の高木さん showing example of Dorky shirt my mom bought me with ダサイ.
からかい上手の高木さん » Volume 7 » Page 91

Nishikata and Takagi meet up at the library to study. Although it’s hot out, and Nishikata ran to make it to the library on time, he refuses to remove his sweater.

西片(にしかた):
今日(きょう)(ティー)シャツは… お(かあ)さんが()ってきたなんかダサイやつ!!」
“Today's T-shirt is...some dorky thing my mom bought me!!”

Key Points

  1. ダサい = “dorky / unfashionable” (self-conscious, casual)
    • Here, ダサい is Nishikata complaining that the shirt looks uncool / embarrassing to wear
    • Tone is blunt and emotional (he’s venting), so “dorky” fits better than a neutral “unfashionable”
  2. (かあ)さんが()ってきた = “(she) bought (and brought home)”
    • ()ってくる implies “buy and bring it back (to me / to our place)”, not just “buy”
  3. なんか = “like / some / kinda” (dismissive filler)
    • なんか here is a casual, slightly dismissive “like… / some…” that makes the criticism sharper
    • You can think: なんか + adjective + noun → “some kind of (adjective) thing”
  4. やつ = “thing / guy” (rough, informal label)
    • やつ refers to “a thing” here (the shirt), with a rougher feel than もの