BL and GL Glossary

BL and GL Glossary: Terms Every New Viewer Meets

125 terms, from seme and uke to slow burn, lakorn and OST, explained in plain words. Filter by BL or GL, by topic or by letter. Where the site has series that use a term, you will see how many and can jump straight to them.

A

AdaptationFormats and Source Works

A series or film based on an existing novel, comic or other story.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze keeps a guide that pairs every BL drama with the work it came from.

See also Read the adaptations guide Novel Manga Web novel

Air dateRelease and Viewing

The date an episode is released. Title pages list them in the episode guide.

See also Premiere

AmnesiaStory Tropes

A character loses memory, which forces the leads to rebuild or rediscover their relationship.

Renkaze’s note. Expect a hospital corridor.

2 titles on the site BL 2 · GL 1

See also Second chance

AnimeFormats and Source Works

Japanese animation. Some BL and GL stories exist as anime series or films.

4 titles on the site BL 4 · GL 0

See also Manga

B

Back hugClassic Moments

One lead hugs the other from behind, usually at a moment of worry or a quiet confession.

Behind the scenes (BTS)Fans and Pairings

Footage from filming and rehearsal that shows how a scene was made. Cast often publish it during a series run.

See also Bloopers

BingeRelease and Viewing

Watching many episodes in one sitting.

See also Cliffhanger

BloopersFans and Pairings

Takes where something goes wrong, such as a laugh, a dropped line or a wrong mark. Also called NG cuts in Japan.

Renkaze’s note. Bloopers are the one place a serious scene is allowed to fall apart.

See also Behind the scenes (BTS)

Body swapStory Tropes

Two characters switch bodies and have to live each other’s lives for a while.

Renkaze’s note. Comedy first, feelings second, usually in that order.

2 titles on the site BL 2 · GL 0

Boys’ Love (BL)BLThe Basics

A genre of fiction and screen work built around a romantic relationship between male characters. It began in Japanese comics and novels and is now produced in Thailand, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan and elsewhere. This site uses BL as the umbrella label for the genre.

Renkaze’s note. On this site one word covers a Thai weekly broadcast, a Korean web series and a Japanese late-night run. The accents differ, the label stays.

187 titles on the site BL 187 · GL 3

See also Go to the BL page Girls’ Love (GL) Yaoi Shounen-ai

BromanceBLThe Basics

A close, affectionate friendship between men that is written without a romantic storyline. Some series sit on the edge between bromance and BL, so the site tags them separately.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze’s test is simple: if the story never asks what the friendship is, it is bromance. If it keeps asking, it is BL.

3 titles on the site

See also Boys’ Love (BL) Friends to lovers

C

Campus romanceGenres and Tone

A romance set at school or university.

Renkaze’s note. Rooftops, library shelves and vending machines are unofficial members of the cast.

11 titles on the site BL 11 · GL 0

See also Youth

CanonFans and Pairings

What the original story actually shows or states. Anything fans add beyond it is fanon.

See also Headcanon

ChemistryFans and Pairings

How well two actors play off each other on screen. It is an impression, which is why couple pages describe it in words rather than with a score.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze describes it in words because a number would only pretend to measure it.

See also On-screen couple

CliffhangerRelease and Viewing

An ending that stops at a moment of suspense to make the viewer return.

See also Binge

Confession sceneClassic Moments

The scene where a lead says what they feel. It is often placed late in the run, at a rooftop, on a street at night or after a misunderstanding.

See also Jealousy Slow burn

Contract relationshipStory Tropes

A relationship set up by an agreement, with terms and a time limit. It often overlaps with fake relationship.

1 title on the site BL 1 · GL 0

See also Fake relationship

Cooking for each otherClassic Moments

A lead cooks, packs or buys a meal for the other. In many series food is how care is shown before anyone says it.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze notices what is on the table, because it often says more than the dialogue.

D

DirectorCredits

The person who guides how a series or film is shot and performed.

See also Screenwriter

DonghuaFormats and Source Works

Chinese animation.

See also Anime

Drama CDFormats and Source Works

An audio drama in which voice actors perform a story, sometimes based on a manga or novel.

See also Manga

E

Enemies to loversStory Tropes

Two characters who start as rivals or open opponents and grow into a couple.

Renkaze’s note. The first scene usually announces the feud loudly, which is a useful clue about the finale.

23 titles on the site BL 21 · GL 2

See also Rivalry Opposites attract

F

Fake relationshipStory Tropes

Two characters pretend to be a couple for a reason such as family, work or a bet, and the pretence becomes real.

Renkaze’s note. The trope has one fixed rule: the pretence must be performed in public at least once.

8 titles on the site BL 8 · GL 0

See also Contract relationship

Fan artFans and Pairings

Drawings and edits made by fans of a series, its characters or its pairings.

See also Fanfiction

FanfictionFans and Pairings

Stories written by fans about existing characters or actors. In BL and GL fandom they are a large part of how readers share their favourite pairings.

See also Canon Headcanon

Fan meetingFans and Pairings

A ticketed event where cast members meet fans on stage, with games, performances and questions.

See also Fan service

Fan serviceFans and Pairings

Moments added mainly to please followers of a pairing: playful interactions, event appearances and behind-the-scenes clips.

See also Fan meeting Behind the scenes (BTS)

FinaleRelease and Viewing

The last episode of a series or a season.

See also Premiere

First kissClassic Moments

The scene that marks the point where the leads stop being almost a couple. Which episode it falls in is one of the clearest signs of how slow the burn is.

See also Slow burn

Forbidden loveStory Tropes

A romance that faces a barrier such as family, status, workplace rules or social expectation.

18 titles on the site BL 13 · GL 5

See also Age gap

Found familyStory Tropes

A group of people who are not related but come to act as a family for each other.

2 titles on the site BL 2 · GL 1

Friends to loversStory Tropes

A friendship that turns into romance, usually after one lead realises their feelings first.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze watches for the quiet look. That is where this trope usually shows its hand.

13 titles on the site BL 10 · GL 3

See also Childhood friends Slow burn

FudanshiBLFans and Pairings

Japanese slang for a man who enjoys BL.

See also Fujoshi

FujoshiBLFans and Pairings

Japanese slang for a woman who enjoys BL. The word is mostly used by fans about themselves. Its counterpart for men is fudanshi.

See also Fudanshi

G

Gege (哥哥)Words in the Subtitles

Chinese for “older brother”, used for an older man the speaker is close to. Didi (弟弟) is the younger.

See also Hyung (형)

Girls’ Love (GL)GLThe Basics

The counterpart of BL: stories built around a romantic relationship between female characters. In Japan the same space is often called yuri. GL series and novels are produced in Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and elsewhere.

Renkaze’s note. GL titles arrive in smaller numbers, so each one is checked before it is added.

28 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 28

See also Go to the GL page Yuri Shoujo-ai Boys’ Love (BL)

Guest castCredits

Actors who appear in a limited number of episodes.

See also Supporting cast

H

HeadcanonFans and Pairings

A private idea about a character that the story never confirms, such as a favourite food or a backstory.

See also Canon Fanfiction

HealingGenres and Tone

A gentle story about recovering from loss or stress, usually at a calm pace.

Renkaze’s note. Best saved for a long day.

14 titles on the site BL 13 · GL 3

See also Slice of life

Hidden identityStory Tropes

One lead hides who they are, for example a job, a family background or a double life, and the reveal drives the plot.

5 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 2

Hyung (형)Words in the Subtitles

Korean for “older brother”, used by a man for an older man he is close to.

Renkaze’s note. The moment a character drops hyung and uses a first name is worth noticing.

See also Sunbae (선배)

I

Idol and entertainment industryGenres and Tone

A story about performers, trainees or the entertainment business, where fame affects the relationship.

Renkaze’s note. The schedule is the third lead.

5 titles on the site BL 5 · GL 0

J

JealousyStory Tropes

The moment a lead sees the other with someone else and finally reacts. In many romances it is the trigger for a confession.

See also Love rival Confession scene

K

KabedonClassic Moments

From the Japanese for “wall” and the sound of a thud. One character puts a hand on the wall beside the other’s head, corners them with a question and waits for the answer.

L

LakornWords in the Subtitles

Thai word for a television drama (ละคร). Thai BL series are sometimes called BL lakorn.

See also Web series

Licensed platformRelease and Viewing

A service that holds the rights to show a series legally, such as YouTube, Viki, iQIYI, GagaOOLala, WeTV or Netflix. The site links to the rights holder’s own platform and never hosts video.

See also Where to watch Simulcast

Love rivalStory Tropes

A third character who also wants one of the leads. Often the person who makes the leads say what they feel.

See also Jealousy

M

Mafia and organised crimeGenres and Tone

Stories set among crime families or gangs, including the yakuza in Japanese works.

3 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 0

See also Crime

ManhwaFormats and Source Works

Korean comics, many of them published online in a vertical scrolling format called webtoon.

1 title on the site BL 1 · GL 0

See also Manga

MiniseriesFormats and Source Works

A short series with a small number of episodes, planned as one complete story.

4 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 1

MisunderstandingStory Tropes

A false assumption, an overheard half-sentence or a message sent to the wrong person that keeps the leads apart for an episode or two.

Renkaze’s note. One clear conversation would end it, which is exactly why the script avoids it.

See also Melodrama

MovieFormats and Source Works

A feature film. Several series also have a movie that follows the story after the finale.

8 titles on the site BL 7 · GL 1

MusicalFormats and Source Works

A stage or screen production built around songs.

1 title on the site BL 1 · GL 0

N

Nong (น้อง)Words in the Subtitles

Thai for a younger sibling, and used for anyone younger or more junior. Phi and nong appear constantly in school and workplace series.

See also Phi (พี่)

O

Official trailerRelease and Viewing

The trailer published by the rights holder, as opposed to fan edits.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze links the official trailer on every title page where one exists.

See also OST

OmegaverseBLStory Tropes

A fictional setting with its own invented social and biological rules, used in some BL novels and series.

Renkaze’s note. A setting with its own rulebook, so read the premise before starting.

1 title on the site BL 1 · GL 0

On-screen coupleFans and Pairings

Two actors cast as romantic leads together, often more than once. An on-screen pairing describes their work in series and says nothing about their private lives. The site keeps these pairs in its couples section.

See also Browse couples Ship / Shipping Chemistry

Original authorCredits

The writer of the novel or comic that a series is based on.

See also Adaptation

OSTRelease and Viewing

Original soundtrack: the songs and music made for a series.

Renkaze’s note. Renkaze links the official OST wherever one exists, so the song is one click from the episode.

See also Official trailer

OTPFans and Pairings

One true pairing: the couple a fan puts above all others.

Renkaze’s note. The number of OTPs one person may hold has no upper limit.

See also Ship / Shipping

P

Phi (พี่)Words in the Subtitles

Thai for an older sibling, and used for anyone slightly older or more senior, from classmates to colleagues. It is the word behind “P’” in names.

Renkaze’s note. Subtitles often turn it into a plain first name, but the word carries the age gap.

See also Nong (น้อง)

PremiereRelease and Viewing

The date the first episode is released.

See also Finale Air date

R

ReincarnationStory Tropes

Characters are reborn and find each other again in a later life.

Renkaze’s note. An object, such as a pendant or a scar, often carries the memory across.

5 titles on the site BL 5 · GL 0

See also Time travel

RemakeFormats and Source Works

A new production of a story that has already been filmed, often in another country.

2 titles on the site BL 2 · GL 0

See also Adaptation

RivalryStory Tropes

Leads who compete with each other, at school, in sport, at work or in music, and the competition shapes the romance.

5 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 1

See also Enemies to lovers

RoommatesClassic Moments

Two leads who share a dorm or an apartment, so every awkward moment has a fixed address.

See also Campus romance

S

ScreenwriterCredits

The writer of the script for a series or film.

See also Original author

SeasonFormats and Source Works

A numbered run of episodes. Some series, such as The Journey to Killing You, run for more than one.

See also Sequel

Second chanceStory Tropes

Two people who once were, or almost were, a couple get another opportunity after time apart.

11 titles on the site BL 8 · GL 3

See also Reunion

SemeBLFans and Pairings

From the Japanese word for “attacker”. In BL vocabulary it names the lead who pursues, protects or takes the first step in the relationship. Modern series often avoid fixed roles, so the label describes a story dynamic rather than a rule.

Renkaze’s note. Treat it as shorthand, not a forecast. One scene can reverse the roles in thirty seconds.

See also Uke

SenpaiWords in the Subtitles

Japanese for a senior at school, a club or work. The junior is a kouhai.

See also Sunbae (선배)

SenseiWords in the Subtitles

Japanese for a teacher, and also for a doctor or a respected master.

SequelFormats and Source Works

A later series or film that continues an earlier story.

1 title on the site BL 1 · GL 0

See also Season

Shared umbrellaClassic Moments

Two characters walk home under a single umbrella after rain starts. A staple of romance in Asian dramas.

Renkaze’s note. Weather is the cheapest way a script can put two people close together.

Ship nameFans and Pairings

A blended nickname for a pairing, built from the two names, for example BrightWin from Bright and Win. The ship name usually doubles as the hashtag and the name of the fan community.

Renkaze’s note. The hashtag is the real test, so shorter usually wins.

See also Browse couples Ship / Shipping OTP

ShipperFans and Pairings

A fan who follows and supports a particular pairing.

See also Ship / Shipping OTP

Ship / ShippingFans and Pairings

Short for relationship. To ship two characters or actors is to root for them as a pair. The pair gets a ship name, and the group that follows it gets a hashtag.

See also See the couples Ship name Shipper OTP

Shoujo-aiGLThe Basics

The parallel fan label for GL: stories focused on the feelings between girls or women. Like shounen-ai, it is a loose label, not an official category.

See also Girls’ Love (GL) Yuri

Shounen-aiBLThe Basics

Literally “boys’ love” in Japanese. In English-speaking fandom it came to mean BL stories that stay on the emotional and romantic side of the relationship. It is a loose label, not a rating.

See also Boys’ Love (BL) Yaoi

Sick-day careClassic Moments

One lead falls ill and the other looks after them with food, a wet towel and a long night.

Renkaze’s note. A fever is the genre’s standard permission slip for taking care of someone.

SimulcastRelease and Viewing

A release on a streaming platform at nearly the same time as the original broadcast.

See also Licensed platform

Slow burnStory Tropes

A romance that develops over many episodes, with the leads taking a long time to admit what they feel.

Renkaze’s note. If the first hand-hold has not arrived by the halfway mark, check the tag before assuming something went wrong.

51 titles on the site BL 42 · GL 8

See also Friends to lovers

SpecialFormats and Source Works

A one-off episode or short release made apart from the main run, such as an extra story for fans.

3 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 0

SpoilerRelease and Viewing

A detail that gives away what happens later in a story.

Renkaze’s note. Title pages describe the premise, not the ending.

See also Watch order

Strangers to loversStory Tropes

Leads who meet as strangers and become a couple within the story, with no shared past to lean on.

8 titles on the site BL 8 · GL 1

See also Friends to lovers

Sunbae (선배)Words in the Subtitles

Korean for a senior at school or at work. The junior is a hoobae.

See also Hyung (형) Senpai

T

TearjerkerGenres and Tone

A story built to make the viewer cry.

Renkaze’s note. Keep the tissues closer than the remote.

5 titles on the site BL 2 · GL 4

See also Melodrama

U

UkeBLFans and Pairings

From the Japanese word for “receiver”. It names the lead who is pursued or who holds back at first. It always comes as a pair with seme, and many series play against the expected pattern.

See also Seme

W

Watch orderRelease and Viewing

The order in which a series, its sequels and its specials are best viewed.

Renkaze’s note. Where a franchise has side stories, the site adds a watch order when it helps.

See also Sequel Special

Web seriesFormats and Source Works

A series made for online release, often on YouTube or a streaming service, instead of a television slot.

54 titles on the site BL 51 · GL 5

See also TV series

Workplace romanceGenres and Tone

A romance set in an office or professional setting.

Renkaze’s note. Meetings, lifts and late overtime do most of the plotting.

29 titles on the site BL 26 · GL 3

Y

YaoiBLThe Basics

A Japanese term for male-male romance fiction, first used for fan-made comics in the late 1970s and 1980s. In English it is sometimes used as a general word for BL, while many fans keep it for Japanese-style manga. The site files stories under BL and tags a few as yaoi.

3 titles on the site BL 3 · GL 0

See also Boys’ Love (BL) Shounen-ai

YuriGLThe Basics

A Japanese term for stories about romantic or emotional bonds between women, used for manga, anime and novels. GL is the wider label used on this site for series from any country.

See also Girls’ Love (GL) Shoujo-ai

How This Glossary Works

Each entry is written by Renkaze, the editor of BL & GL Flix, in plain words. The counts next to a term are live: they show how many series on the site carry that tag, split into BL and GL, and they change as titles are added. The glossary was last checked in October 2026.

New to the genre? Read What Is a BL Drama? first, then Where to Start. For the long version of this page with counts for every tag, see BL and GL Terms Explained.

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