The 'Nipah' meme originates from Rika Furude, a central character in the 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni' (When They Cry) franchise. Rika uses the phrase as a cute, nonsensical verbal tic to maintain her innocent persona, but the community often juxtaposes this cuteness with the series' psychological horror elements. Over time, 'Nipah' became a shorthand for a specific type of moe-character resilience or hidden trauma. In meme culture, it is frequently used in reaction images to express forced happiness, fake innocence, or a knowing smirk that hides deeper knowledge of an upcoming tragedy.