Ecchi

Alternative forms

• etchi

Origin

From Japanese エッチ, from English aitch, the pronounced form of H, used to refer to the word hentai. Loosely translated as "mild offense" or "naughty".

Full definition of ecchi

Adjective

1. (of Japanese animation) erotic, lascivious, lewd, naughty, sexy, suggestive

Noun

1. (uncountable) A genre, especially of anime and manga, featuring playful, tongue-in-cheek usage of sexualized imagery and situations such as double entendre or flirtation, while remaining non-pornographic. Often used to differentiate from hentai which features overt sexual themes.
2. (uncountable, usage chiefly western) blanket term used to describe such mediaThe manga fan was disturbingly proud of his extensive ecchi collection.
3. (rare, countable, chiefly proscribed by fandom) A situation within a story, especially anime and manga, which ventures into the ecchi genre. A moment of ecchi for comic relief in an otherwise serious story.