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“big, huge” (casual) · How people really talk
大きい→でかい→でけえ

でかい is a casual word for 大きい. In rough speech the “ai” sound becomes “ee”: でかい → でけえ, just as うるさい → うるせえ. The short form でかっ! is an instant reaction to something big.

Use it withFriends OKCoworkers carefulBoss / teacher avoid

Casual and a bit rough. Common among friends; でけえ sounds rougher still.

195 lines with でかい/でけえ from 83 comedians in the library · Counts updated 2026-10-15
Audience laughter in this scene0:16
Big Chicago · Bodybuilding Contest

At a bodybuilding contest, the performers shout compliments at contestants by number, and now contestant number 100 steps up.

Culture note At Japanese bodybuilding contests, fans shout playful compliments, like comparing six-pack abs to a '6LDK' (six-room) apartment layout.

The words appear when the audience laughs.

Huge abs!

Textbook腹筋が大きいですね!Casual 'でかい' replaces '大きい'; the particle 'が' and the polite ending are dropped for a short shout.

Speed: fast
All lines
Audience laughter in this scene0:21
Tamashiizu · The Coolest Sea Creature?

One performer says they and a friend debated the coolest sea creature, and now names their own favorite.

The words appear when the audience laughs.

They're insanely huge and insanely strong.

Textbookとても大きくて、とても強いんですよ。"大きくて" becomes casual "でかくて" (て-form of "でかい"); "めちゃくちゃ/めちゃめちゃ" replace "とても".

Speed: fast
All lines
Audience laughter in this scene0:18
Bunny Pyonkichiro · Carp Streamers

One performer complains about things related to Children's Day, starting with the traditional May dolls.

Culture note On Children's Day (May 5), families display carp streamers (koinobori) and samurai-style May dolls (gogatsu ningyō) for boys.

The words appear when the audience laughs.

I seriously hate people with big faces.

Textbook顔の大きい人は本当に嫌いなんです。Casual "でかい" replaces "大きい" in "顔のでかい" ("big-faced"); "やつ" is a casual word for "人".

Tone: Mildly insulting: a blunt dislike of people based on their looks, with the rough word "やつ".Speed: normal
All lines
Audience laughter in this scene0:20
Bukkoking · Easy-to-Read Captions

Two performers argue about which on-screen captions should appear when one of them delivers comebacks.

Culture note In Japanese comedy the 'tsukkomi' is the partner who retorts, and a 'tatoe tsukkomi' is a retort using a witty comparison.

The words appear when the audience laughs.

You're tall, after all.

Textbook背が高いんですから。Casual "でかい" replaces "大きい"; "背(が)でかい" means "tall" (textbook "背が高い"), with "が" dropped.

Speed: normal
All lines
Audience laughter in this scene0:20
Kuramoto Kuranchi · My Parents Are Magicians

The performer complains about growing up with parents who are magicians and describes the strange bathtub in their house.

Culture note Stage magicians famously perform escape tricks from tall, see-through water tanks.

The words appear when the audience laughs.

Why is our bath at home the kind you climb into with a huge see-through ladder?

Textbook家のお風呂は、なぜ透明の大きいはしごで登るタイプなのですか。Casual 'でかい' replaces '大きい' before the noun '梯子' (ladder). Also Kansai 'やねん' for 'なんだ'.

Speed: normal
All lines
Audience laughter in this scene0:17
Under Par · Drug Bust

In a drug-bust sketch, the performers discuss a hallucination: instead of lots of tiny bugs, just one bug is sitting there.

The words appear when the audience laughs.

It's huge!

Textbook大きいです!Casual 'でかい' replaces '大きい', shouted alone without 'です'. Line 4 shows the clipped exclamation 'でかっ'.

Speed: normal
All lines

More lines with でかい/でけえ

From other routines in the library. Automatic transcripts, not yet checked line by line.

Quick answers

What does でかい/でけえ mean?

でかい/でけえ means “big, huge” (casual). でかい is a casual word for 大きい. In rough speech the “ai” sound becomes “ee”: でかい → でけえ, just as うるさい → うるせえ. The short form でかっ! is an instant reaction to something big.

Is でかい/でけえ rude? Who can you say it to?

With friends: OK. With coworkers: careful. With a boss or teacher: avoid. Casual and a bit rough. Common among friends; でけえ sounds rougher still.

How common is でかい/でけえ in real speech?

In 2,334 live comedy routines, でかい/でけえ appears in 195 lines from 83 comedians.

How people really talk