Language
Japanese swear words
A guide to swearing in Japanese: 39 words and phrases from the Swear Atlas catalogue, organised from mild to strong and explained in plain English. Every entry links to its full page with meaning, pronunciation and a 1–5 Burn Rating.
Common Japanese swear words
The recognisable everyday expressions, with what each one actually means.
- クソッタレ · kusottare It's a strong insult or an expression of frustration, akin to saying 'shithead' or 'damn it.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- チンカス · chinkasu Literally “penis scum”. A derogatory term for someone perceived as worthless or contemptible 3/5 · Vulgar
- アホ · aho It means idiot or fool, often used as an insult. In some contexts, it can be playful rather than harsh. 2/5 · Coarse
- お前馬鹿か · omae baka ka Literally “are you stupid”. This phrase is a rhetorical insult that questions someone's intelligence, essentially asking if they are stupid. 2/5 · Coarse
- ガキ · gaki It's a rude way to refer to a child, often implying they're annoying or troublesome. The literal translation is 'brat.' 2/5 · Coarse
- キモい · kimoi It means something is creepy or gross. It's a casual shortening of the phrase 'kimochi warui,' which literally means 'bad feeling.' 2/5 · Coarse
- すけべ · sukebe This refers to someone who is lecherous or has a dirty mind. It's often used in a teasing context. 2/5 · Coarse
- なめるな · nameruna It's a warning not to underestimate or disrespect the speaker. Literally, it means 'don't lick.' 2/5 · Coarse
Milder expressions
Gentler exclamations and everyday grumbles.
- うんこ · unko This is a childish term for poop, often used in a lighthearted or comedic context. 1/5 · Mild
- しまった · shimatta This is an exclamation used when someone realizes they've made a mistake, similar to saying 'damn' or 'oh no.' 1/5 · Mild
- アホ · aho It means idiot or fool, often used as an insult. In some contexts, it can be playful rather than harsh. 2/5 · Coarse
- お前馬鹿か · omae baka ka Literally “are you stupid”. This phrase is a rhetorical insult that questions someone's intelligence, essentially asking if they are stupid. 2/5 · Coarse
- ガキ · gaki It's a rude way to refer to a child, often implying they're annoying or troublesome. The literal translation is 'brat.' 2/5 · Coarse
- キモい · kimoi It means something is creepy or gross. It's a casual shortening of the phrase 'kimochi warui,' which literally means 'bad feeling.' 2/5 · Coarse
- すけべ · sukebe This refers to someone who is lecherous or has a dirty mind. It's often used in a teasing context. 2/5 · Coarse
- なめるな · nameruna It's a warning not to underestimate or disrespect the speaker. Literally, it means 'don't lick.' 2/5 · Coarse
Stronger stuff
The heavier end of the scale — handle with care.
- まんこ · manko This is a strong vulgar term for 'vulva' in Japanese, used in a very crude context. 4/5 · Strong
- 黙れこの野郎 · damare konoyarō Literally “shut up, this fellow”. This is a hostile command telling someone to shut up, with an added insult equivalent to 'bastard.' 4/5 · Strong
- 糞食らえ · kuso kurae This is a strong way to tell someone to go fuck themselves, expressing anger or rejection. Literally, it translates to 'eat shit.' 4/5 · Strong
Japanese insults
Words aimed at a person rather than shouted at the world.
- 黙れこの野郎 · damare konoyarō Literally “shut up, this fellow”. This is a hostile command telling someone to shut up, with an added insult equivalent to 'bastard.' 4/5 · Strong
- 糞食らえ · kuso kurae This is a strong way to tell someone to go fuck themselves, expressing anger or rejection. Literally, it translates to 'eat shit.' 4/5 · Strong
- あの野郎 · ano yarō Literally “that fellow”. It's a hostile way to refer to someone, essentially meaning 'that bastard.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- うるせえ · urusee It means 'noisy' and is often used as a rude way to tell someone to shut up. 3/5 · Vulgar
- カス · kasu It’s an insult that implies someone is worthless or insignificant. The literal translation refers to the dregs or residue left behind, which adds a layer of disdain. 3/5 · Vulgar
- クズ · kuzu It means calling someone scum or worthless. The literal translation refers to scraps or waste, emphasizing their low value. 3/5 · Vulgar
- クソガキ · kusogaki It's a coarse insult aimed at a brat or an annoying child. Literally, it translates to 'shit brat.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- クソッタレ · kusottare It's a strong insult or an expression of frustration, akin to saying 'shithead' or 'damn it.' 3/5 · Vulgar
How to pronounce them
An English-friendly “sounds like” cue for each.
- うんこ · unko Sounds like “oon-koh”. 1/5 · Mild
- しまった · shimatta Sounds like “shee-MAT-ta”. 1/5 · Mild
- アホ · aho Sounds like “AH-ho”. 2/5 · Coarse
- お前馬鹿か · omae baka ka Sounds like “o-MAI ba-ka ka”. 2/5 · Coarse
- ガキ · gaki Sounds like “GAH-kee”. 2/5 · Coarse
- キモい · kimoi Sounds like “kee-MOY”. 2/5 · Coarse
- すけべ · sukebe Sounds like “soo-KEH-beh”. 2/5 · Coarse
- なめるな · nameruna Sounds like “nah-MEH-roo-nah”. 2/5 · Coarse
Curious literal translations
What these expressions say word-for-word, versus what they really mean.
- お前馬鹿か · omae baka ka Literally “are you stupid” — This phrase is a rhetorical insult that questions someone's intelligence, essentially asking if they are stupid. 2/5 · Coarse
- あの野郎 · ano yarō Literally “that fellow” — It's a hostile way to refer to someone, essentially meaning 'that bastard.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- チンカス · chinkasu Literally “penis scum” — A derogatory term for someone perceived as worthless or contemptible 3/5 · Vulgar
- バカ野郎 · bakayarō Literally “idiot fellow” — It's an angry insult, translating to 'you idiot' or 'bastard.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- ふざけんな · fuzakenna Literally “don't fool around” — This means 'don't mess with me' and expresses anger or frustration. It's a direct command telling someone to stop their foolishness. 3/5 · Vulgar
- 変態 · hentai Literally “abnormality” — It can refer to a pervert or someone with abnormal sexual interests, and it's also used internationally to describe a genre of erotic animation. The meaning shifts based on context, whether it's about behavior, a person, or a category of media. 3/5 · Vulgar
- 糞野郎 · kusoyarō Literally “shit fellow” — It's a strong insult that translates to 'shithead' or 'bastard.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- 黙れこの野郎 · damare konoyarō Literally “shut up, this fellow” — This is a hostile command telling someone to shut up, with an added insult equivalent to 'bastard.' 4/5 · Strong
How strong is Japanese swearing?
Burn Rating spread across all 39 Japanese entries (1 = mild, 5 = extreme).
- 1 · Mild 2
- 2 · Coarse 16
- 3 · Vulgar 18
- 4 · Strong 3
- 5 · Extreme 0
All Japanese words A–Z
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- クズ · kuzu It means calling someone scum or worthless. The literal translation refers to scraps or waste, emphasizing their low value. 3/5 · Vulgar
- クソガキ · kusogaki It's a coarse insult aimed at a brat or an annoying child. Literally, it translates to 'shit brat.' 3/5 · Vulgar
- クソッタレ · kusottare It's a strong insult or an expression of frustration, akin to saying 'shithead' or 'damn it.' 3/5 · Vulgar