What does “ろくでなし” mean in English?
This refers to someone who is seen as worthless or irresponsible, essentially calling them a good-for-nothing. It carries a moral judgment about their character.
Literally “good-for-nothing”
It's an insult aimed directly at someone, similar to calling someone a 'loser' in English. It has a moderate level of severity and is used in a straightforward, accusatory tone.
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Related Japanese words
カス
3/5 · Vulgarkasu
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.
この野郎
3/5 · Vulgarkono yarō
It's an insult that translates to 'you bastard,' aimed at someone in a confrontational manner. The literal translation is 'this fellow,' but that's not how it's used.
クズ
3/5 · Vulgarkuzu
It means calling someone scum or worthless. The literal translation refers to scraps or waste, emphasizing their low value.
クソガキ
3/5 · Vulgarkusogaki
It's a coarse insult aimed at a brat or an annoying child. Literally, it translates to 'shit brat.'
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Swear Atlas is a source-attested, AI-curated reference — not a native-speaker-certified dictionary. Meanings and the 1–5 Burn Rating are approximate editorial assessments that vary with context, region, tone and speaker. Inclusion of a word does not constitute endorsement of its use.
The literal gloss is a short editorial translation to show word-for-word sense, not an etymological claim.
“Sounds like” is an English-friendly approximation of how the word sounds, not an authoritative pronunciation. Where shown, the romanisation is a conventional Latin-script transliteration of the original spelling.
Term attested via Viddexa SafeText, FlacSy/BadWords, washyourmouthoutwithsoap (MIT, MIT AND CC-BY-4.0). Editorial content © Swear Atlas.