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Occasionally someone posts a ecchi/H picture _on the internet_ and users reply
with a prudish anime/manga girl with a sign saying 'LEWD'.

Definition of Lewd:

> crude and offensive in a sexual way.

Where does this meme originate? what was the original _lewd_ picture?

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8gQI6m.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8gQI6m.png)
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2PeMcm.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/2PeMcm.png)
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MKMpFm.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MKMpFm.jpg)
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/yICNQm.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/yICNQm.png)


CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-02T08:35:52.437
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2015-10-03T01:57:33.873
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meme
Where does the 'lewd' meme come from?


**Etymology**

Etymologically speaking, the word takes its root from the [Old
English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English) lǣwede : _ignorant_ ,
_unlearned_.

Then in the [Middle English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_English) it
got transformed into leud/lewed (found those two ways to write it): _belonging
to the common people, vulgar_.

It then derived into the mean _worthless, vile, evil_ , leading to its current
usage and connotations.

* * *

**Meaning**

Even thought there are a lot of slightly different definitions of the word
_lewd_ , I decided to provide the
[KnowYourMeme](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/lewd)'s definition because it
does correspond to the _meme_ definition and not the _word_ definition :

> Lewd is an adjective often used to describe something of erotic nature, or
> otherwise obscene or indecent. It is generally being used to represent the
> reaction of a character who is ingenuous or timid.

* * *

**Origin**

The first known **meme** use of this word is, like a lot of _Western_ memes,
on 4chan in 2008.

On the chans **/jp** and **/a** (Respectively the Japanese Culture and Anime &
Manga 4chan communities), the word was used in several conversations.

In 2008, the chan **/jp** was created in order to split general Japanese
Culture from **/a** which then became the Otaku board.

On **/jp** , the meme was associated with pictures of [Eiki
Shiki](http://wiki.touhou.net/wiki/Eiki_Shiki,_Yamaxanadu) from Touhou in
order to criticize lewd anime content which was judged as "not suitable" for
the board.

The post on November 19th, 2008 that most likely created this meme, according
to [KnowYourMeme](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/lewd), is this comic and its
reaction :

The comic:

[![too lewd
comic](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OhikY.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/OhikY.jpg)

The reaction:

[![too lewd
reaction](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rVxkS.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rVxkS.jpg)

* * *

**Other details**

Google Trends

According to [Google
Trends](https://www.google.fr/trends/explore#q=lewd&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT-2),
the peak of research of the word _lewd_ is in 2011. I didn't find any
rationnal explanation; I will edit the post to add things if I find anything
interesting.

[![lewd
stats](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JVXLh.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JVXLh.png)

Lewd _but I approve_

A trend emerged from the meme _lewd_ , to express the fact that a user finds
the below content lewd but still approves of the content. It is presented the
same way as the _lewd_ meme, but on the pancart there is written: Lewd but I
approve

[![Lewd but I
approve](https://i.stack.imgur.com/z0rNZ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/z0rNZ.png)

Bonus: Gardevoir

The pokemon
[Gardevoir](http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gardevoir_%28Pok%C3%A9mon%29)
has became a meme because of the feminized look it has. The meme is used at
different ways (Tsundere Gardevoir, Shy Gardevoir, Totally NSFW Gardevoir). A
_lewd version_ of Gardevoir frequently used on 4chan :

[![lewd
gardevoir](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A8kF3.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A8kF3.jpg)

* * *


CC BY-SA 3.0
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