<p><strong>&quot;<em>Uso da!</em>&quot; is not only used in <em>Higurashi</em> but also appeared in other anime &amp; manga.</strong></p>
<p>Before the original <em>Higurashi</em> VN was released in 2002, the same phrase was used in</p>
<ul>
<li><p><em>YuYu Hakusho</em> manga (<em>Weekly Shonen Jump</em>, 1993), volume 13, chapter 112:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>幻海「<strong>嘘だ！！</strong>」<sup>(<a href="https://matome.usachannel.info/?p=104118" rel="noreferrer">source</a>)</sup><br />
Genkai: <strong>You're lying!!</strong> <sup>(scanlation)</sup></p>
</blockquote>
</li>
<li><p><em>Neon Genesis Evangelion</em> (TV anime, 1996), episode 24, 16:55~ :</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> 碇シンジ「<strong>嘘だ嘘だ嘘だ！</strong> カヲル君が、彼が使徒だったなんて、そんなの<strong>嘘だ！</strong>」<sup>(<a href="https://twitter.com/tokyo3_bot/status/1255427435417436160" rel="noreferrer">source</a>)</sup><br />
 Shinji: <strong>No, no, no! It's impossible!</strong> I won't believe that Kaoru is an Angel. <strong>It's a lie!</strong> <sup>(<a href="https://archive.org/details/neon-genesis-evangelion-1x-24-dc-the-beginning-and-the-end-or-knockin-on-heavens-door-1080px-265bk" rel="noreferrer">dub</a>)</sup></p>
</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>Literally, the meaning of &quot;<em><a href="https://jisho.org/word/%E5%98%98" rel="noreferrer">uso</a> da!</em>&quot; is &quot;(it's a) lie!&quot;, while &quot;liar&quot; is &quot;<em><a href="https://jisho.org/word/%E5%98%98%E3%81%A4%E3%81%8D" rel="noreferrer">usotsuki</a></em>&quot;. Though, the implication of &quot;<em>uso da!</em>&quot; being &quot;liar!&quot; or &quot;(you're) lying!&quot; is also valid. Here is some comparison for various versions of <em>Higurashi</em> (<a href="https://twitter.com/kamil198811/status/1317080322689978370" rel="noreferrer">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Higurashinonakakoroni/comments/jbqxcq/renas_uso_da_comparison/" rel="noreferrer">Reddit</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwKLcXyhGDE" rel="noreferrer">YouTube</a>):</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Higurashi Hou</em> (original VN, 2002, unofficial translation): LIES!/THAT'S A LIE!</li>
<li><em>Higurashi</em> (anime, 2006): Liar!</li>
<li><em>Higurashi</em> (manga, 2008): LIAR!</li>
<li><em>Higurashi Hou</em> (Steam VN, 2015): LIES!</li>
<li><em>Higurashi Gou</em> (anime, 2020): You're lying!</li>
</ul>
<p>As for why it seems &quot;exclusive&quot;, possibly it is because the impact of that particular scene in <em>Higurashi</em> is so memorable until it reaches a level of <a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/uso-da-%E5%98%98%E3%81%A0" rel="noreferrer">meme</a>.</p>
<hr />
<p>Reference: <a href="https://dic.nicovideo.jp/b/a/%E5%98%98%E3%81%A0%E3%83%83%21%21%21/1-" rel="noreferrer">the comment thread about <em>Uso da!!!</em> on <em>Nico Nico Pedia</em> (Japanese)</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-30T17:45:54.557Z
2022-05-30T17:45:54.557Z
Aki Tanaka
<p>だ is really just <a href="https://www.tofugu.com/japanese-grammar/da/" rel="noreferrer">there for emphasis</a>, and would likely be there for emphasis in any other media or show.</p>
<p>From the article:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The most basic functions of だ are to mark nouns and な-adjectives as positive (true), and present tense (relevant to now or the future). だ is not used with word types that have their own way of telling us their tense or whether or not they’re true, such as verbs and い-adjectives.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So if you heard someone say　&quot;嘘{うそ}だ！&quot;, <em>phonetically</em> it's no different than if someone said, &quot;You liar!&quot;</p>
<p>As with natural speech, there is always nuance in how people speak certain phrases.  This example is no different, and the real answer as to why this form is used over others is a bit beyond my completely non-native understanding to assist you with.</p>
<p>I do hope that this can give you some enlightenment as to why it is the way it is, though.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-18T21:58:11.927Z
This answer makes me feel like I'm starting to get it, although I still don't get it entirely, how come uso da seems to be uncommon in other anime to the point where it's basically associated with higurashi? that point I still dont get, unless I'm mistaken I suppose
blake harrisonakerz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-18T21:59:57.077Z
Anime speak is often slang and not *exactly* the same or consistent kind of Japanese you'd hear among native speakers.  I would say that I've heard that phrase before in other anime - that I can't name off the top of my head, and given that it does have value in an exclamation of someone being a liar, I really can't see this being exclusive to *one* show.
Makoto
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-18T22:38:02.487Z
@blakeharrisonakerz If I remember from Japanese class correctly, when だ is used alone at the end of the sentence, it might sound too harsh. That's why you often hear it followed by よ or ね, as in だよ or だね. I don't remember much from this anime but this might be an example of using だ to emphasize 'strong, negative emotions.' which often arises during the course of this anime. You can read more here: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/da-vs-desu-in-real-life/
W. Are
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-18T21:24:14.237Z
2021-05-18T21:24:14.237Z
Makoto
<p>I haven't heard  &quot;Uso Da!&quot; used to mean &quot;Liar!&quot; in any other anime from what I can remember, and when I type the phrase into google, it seems to exclusively be a <em>Higurashi</em> thing. Why is this?  If it were just a dramatic word that's not really used in real conversation, which is common for media, I'd expect to hear it more elsewhere in other anime too. I'd love to hear exactly why uso da seems exclusive to <em>Higurashi</em>, thank you ^^</p>

<japanese-language><higurashi-when-they-cry>
Why is "Uso Da!" used in Higurashi?
# Why is "Uso Da!" used in Higurashi?
Posted by: username_0 on 2021-05-18
I haven't heard "Uso Da!" used to mean "Liar!" in any other anime from what I can remember, and when I type the phrase into google, it seems to exclusively be a *Higurashi* thing. Why is this? If it were just a dramatic word that's not really used in real conversation, which is common for media, I'd expect to hear it more elsewhere in other anime too. I'd love to hear exactly why uso da seems exclusive to *Higurashi*, thank you ^^
**Tags:** japanese-language higurashi-when-they-cry
---
## 2 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2021-05-18. Score: 7
だ is really just [there for emphasis](https://www.tofugu.com/japanese-grammar/da/), and would likely be there for emphasis in any other media or show.

From the article:

> The most basic functions of だ are to mark nouns and な-adjectives as positive (true), and present tense (relevant to now or the future). だ is not used with word types that have their own way of telling us their tense or whether or not they’re true, such as verbs and い-adjectives.

So if you heard someone say　"嘘{うそ}だ！", *phonetically* it's no different than if someone said, "You liar!"

As with natural speech, there is always nuance in how people speak certain phrases. This example is no different, and the real answer as to why this form is used over others is a bit beyond my completely non-native understanding to assist you with.

I do hope that this can give you some enlightenment as to why it is the way it is, though.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2021-05-18): This answer makes me feel like I'm starting to get it, although I still don't get it entirely, how come uso da seems to be uncommon in other anime to the point where it's basically associated with higurashi? that point I still dont get, unless I'm mistaken I suppose  
> **username_2** (2021-05-18): Anime speak is often slang and not *exactly* the same or consistent kind of Japanese you'd hear among native speakers.  I would say that I've heard that phrase before in other anime - that I can't name off the top of my head, and given that it does have value in an exclamation of someone being a liar, I really can't see this being exclusive to *one* show.  
> **username_3** (2021-05-18): @blakeharrisonakerz If I remember from Japanese class correctly, when だ is used alone at the end of the sentence, it might sound too harsh. That's why you often hear it followed by よ or ね, as in だよ or だね. I don't remember much from this anime but this might be an example of using だ to emphasize 'strong, negative emotions.' which often arises during the course of this anime. You can read more here: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/da-vs-desu-in-real-life/  
---
### Answer by username_1 on 2022-05-30. Score: 5
**"*Uso da!*" is not only used in *Higurashi* but also appeared in other anime & manga.**

Before the original *Higurashi* VN was released in 2002, the same phrase was used in

* *YuYu Hakusho* manga (*Weekly Shonen Jump*, 1993), volume 13, chapter 112:

  > 幻海「**嘘だ！！**」([source](https://matome.usachannel.info/?p=104118))  
  > Genkai: **You're lying!!** (scanlation)
* *Neon Genesis Evangelion* (TV anime, 1996), episode 24, 16:55~ :

  > 碇シンジ「**嘘だ嘘だ嘘だ！** カヲル君が、彼が使徒だったなんて、そんなの**嘘だ！**」([source](https://twitter.com/tokyo3_bot/status/1255427435417436160))  
  > Shinji: **No, no, no! It's impossible!** I won't believe that Kaoru is an Angel. **It's a lie!** ([dub](https://archive.org/details/neon-genesis-evangelion-1x-24-dc-the-beginning-and-the-end-or-knockin-on-heavens-door-1080px-265bk))

---

Literally, the meaning of "*[uso](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%98%98) da!*" is "(it's a) lie!", while "liar" is "*[usotsuki](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%98%98%E3%81%A4%E3%81%8D)*". Though, the implication of "*uso da!*" being "liar!" or "(you're) lying!" is also valid. Here is some comparison for various versions of *Higurashi* ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/kamil198811/status/1317080322689978370), [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Higurashinonakakoroni/comments/jbqxcq/renas_uso_da_comparison/), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwKLcXyhGDE)):

* *Higurashi Hou* (original VN, 2002, unofficial translation): LIES!/THAT'S A LIE!
* *Higurashi* (anime, 2006): Liar!
* *Higurashi* (manga, 2008): LIAR!
* *Higurashi Hou* (Steam VN, 2015): LIES!
* *Higurashi Gou* (anime, 2020): You're lying!

As for why it seems "exclusive", possibly it is because the impact of that particular scene in *Higurashi* is so memorable until it reaches a level of [meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/uso-da-%E5%98%98%E3%81%A0).

---

Reference: [the comment thread about *Uso da!!!* on *Nico Nico Pedia* (Japanese)](https://dic.nicovideo.jp/b/a/%E5%98%98%E3%81%A0%E3%83%83%21%21%21/1-)
---
