Uke
From Fanlore
| Synonyms: | ||
| See also: | seme, yaoi, Weepy Uke Syndrome, Height Rule, Big Guy, Little Guy, Size Kink | |
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Uke is a term originating in martial arts and used by yaoi fans to describe the submissive or "pursued" half in a male-male relationship (seme being the dominant or "pursuing" half). Derived from the Japanese verb "ukeru," which means "to receive" (abstractly).
Characteristics
Stereotypically an uke can often, though not always, be recognized by art style -- he is often shorter, younger, and physically weaker than the seme, drawn with androgynous/feminine features like big eyes, and frequently has long or otherwise "pretty" hair. (These attributes vary widely, however -- in particular, both seme and uke characters have been drawn with nearly any kind of hairstyle imaginable.)