Living in Japan, I’ve always faced the uncertainty of whether to use keigo or “casual” Japanese (tameguchi). Beyond social hierarchy (as in who’s higher than you), the degree of intimacy and relationship plays a big role in how you should communicate. It’s not just the literal word that conveys the meaning, but the delivery and tone of speech that reveal your intentions. 

Unlike English (or your native tongue), Japanese has a very clear and rigid distinction between formal and casual language. You can think of Japanese as having 2 main categories: 敬語 (keigo), which is formal Japanese, and 普通話 (futsutsutai), which is casual language. 

This won’t be a full breakdown of keigo, as we have a very thorough section dedicated to helping you understand the formal Japanese language (like knowing Japanese honorifics). This won’t be a list of Japanese slang or swear words. Instead, this will be a more general guide to the differences between using keigo and tameguchi. 

If you’ve studied Japanese, you might be thinking that you have to learn a whole new way of speaking, but worry not! You probably already got a taste of keigo since most teachers will have you learn more polite speech to begin with. But let’s break down what formal and casual Japanese are, their differences, and how they compare with English!

English vs Japanese Formal & Casual Language

Before we discuss formal and casual language in Japanese, let’s break the ice with how and why it’s so different from English. 

When you think of formal language in English, you might think of expressions that sound more “polite,” such as saying “would you like…?” rather than the more casual “do you want…?” So, using language to show respect is more about word choice, where “would” sounds softer, almost passive.

This is the right idea in Japanese, but it takes it a step further; formal language is about conjugation, in addition to word choice.   

Japanese keigo actually has many levels of conjugation that express greater formality, or rather humility. In Japan, social hierarchy is a core part of its cultural fabric, so showing humility to those considered to have a higher social status than you is built into the language. Throughout Japanese history, showing humility and respect to those who are older, to your teacher, or to your lord was seen as essential for maintaining mutual coordination and harmony. 

Keigo operates as a rather implicit way of communicating respect for someone. Without directly addressing that someone may be older or generally deserving of greater respect, using keigo shows your understanding of their social position relative to yours. The Japanese language is designed for this type of social structure, which in English might not be as strictly defined. 

Keigo (敬語) vs Tameguchi (タメ口)

Going back to the first sentence, I’ve had a bunch of awkward conversations at the konbini where I would bounce between keigo and tameguchi with the employee. Here’s an example:

袋がいらないだけど。レシートをいただけますか？
Fukuro ga iranai da. Reshiito o itadakemasuka?
I don’t need a plastic bag, but can I get the receipt?

In the first sentence, I’m (involuntarily) using tameguchi: using da instead of desu. This makes my statement feel blunter. The second sentence uses the basic keigo rule: replacing morau (to receive) with its most humble form, itadaku. 

Meaning-wise, you can bet that you get the message across, but imagine you’re talking with a mix of old, Victorian-era English with Gen-Z lingo. Yikes. 

Generally, keigo Japanese shows respect and politeness to strangers, but when you’re using it in every conversation with store staff and employees, you can sound as if you’re trying too hard — which, frankly, you are. At the same time, using a too-casual form can easily make someone frown. The easiest way is to stick with formal Japanese. 

However, as you get more comfortable with speaking Japanese, you may want to ‘upgrade’ said skill. After all, how can you prove you’re advanced in speaking the language when you don’t speak like a native?

What is Casual Japanese or 普通対 (Futsuutai)?

Casual Japanese, known as タメ口 (tameguchi) or 普通体 (futsuutai), is the informal speech style used in relaxed, everyday situations among people who are close to each other. It uses the plain verb form, also called the dictionary form, rather than the polite ます/です (masu/desu) endings found in formal speech.

Casual speech feels natural and warm between friends or family, but using it with the wrong person can come across as rude or presumptuous. It is the most common language used in casual conversation, and it forms the grammatical base upon which all other speech levels are built.

Example 1:

ご飯食べた？
Gohan tabeta?

Did you eat?

Example 2:

これ、すごくない？

Kore, sugoku nai?

Isn’t this amazing?

Who Should You Use Casual Japanese With?

As in English, you can generally be more relaxed and use more casual language with people you know, and be more formal with people you are less familiar with. In Japanese, they have specific words for this concept: 内 (uchi) meaning “in-group” and 外 (soto) meaning “out-group”. Of course, you use casual speech within your close inner circle or 内.

This could include friends, family members, close classmates, or younger children. However, you should avoid casual Japanese with strangers, teachers, coworkers you are not close to, customers, anyone older or senior, and anyone you have just met (as a general rule). When in doubt, it is always best to default to formal speech. 

What is Formal Japanese or 敬語 (Keigo)?

敬語 (keigo) is defined largely by verb form conjugations that express greater respect to the listener. Formal Japanese is an essential part of Japanese business etiquette and is the go-to language in meetings and especially job interviews. That may sound complex, but you probably were already exposed to keigo. The most basic formal language consists of simply adding です (desu) or using a verb in ます (masu) form at the end of a sentence: 

Example 1:

チョコレートは美味しいです。

Chokoreeto wa oishiidesu. 

The chocolate is delicious.

Example 2:

This is called 丁寧語 (teineigo), which is considered the standard polite form, but there are more levels to Japanese keigo. You can think of keigo as expressing respect to someone both by using the language that elevates the listener, called 尊敬語 (sonkeigo) or honorific form, and language that shows humility 謙譲語 (Kenjougo), called humble form.

ケーキを食べます。

Keeki o tabemasu. 

I eat cake.

1. 尊敬語 (Sonkeigo) or Honorifics

尊敬語 (sonkeigo), or honorifics in English, is a form of language that “honors” or elevates the person you are speaking to or speaking about. When using sonkeigo, you are linguistically placing the other person or listener above yourself. For example, when you’re at a restaurant, you probably hear staff say:

店内で召し上がりますか？
Tennai de meshi agari masuka?

Will you be eating at the restaurant?

This question is in honorific form, since you are the customer, they will use language that elevates your status relative to them. The expression 召し上がります (meshi agarimasu) is the honorific conjugation of 食べる・飲む (taberu/nomu) meaning “to eat or drink.” Since they are describing an action that you will be doing, they use the honorific form to express deep respect for what you are doing and who you are. 

However, keep in mind, you do not use the honorific form when describing your own actions, which would be grammatically incorrect and socially inappropriate, plus would just sound very unnatural to native speakers.

When Do You Use Honorific Form?

When should you use the honorific form? Generally, you should always use it when speaking to or about your client, boss, teacher, and in certain cases, senpais  (note that often honorifics are dropped with senpais you are close to). This is because each of these people is considered to be of a higher social status relative to you; therefore, you should respect their status and actions by using the honorific form. 

Also, when you are speaking to or about your customers, you should use honorifics no matter their age or other relative status. Even the word for customer in Japanese, お客様 (okyakusama), is an honorific term that consists of the suffix 〜様 (~sama), which highly elevates the listener.

2. 謙譲語 (Kenjougo) or Humble Forms

On the other side of formal Japanese language, you have 謙譲語 (kenjougo) or humble form. This type of language is used to place yourself below the listener when describing yourself and your actions. You probably heard the humble form when interacting with service staff who are basically saying they “humbly” do something in your favor. For example:

席にお持ち致します。

Seki ni omochi itashimasu.

I will (humbly) take to your seat.

You probably heard an expression like this when eating at a restaurant. お持ちいたします (omochi itashimasu) is the humble form of 持つ (motsu) meaning “to take/bring.” By using this expression, they are essentially saying they will “humbly” bring your items to your seat. This works to lower their social status relative to you. 

Another 謙譲語 form you probably used plenty of times before is よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu), which is often used in self-introductions. But it’s also common at the end of emails or when asking a colleague for a favor. The phrase よろしい (yoroshii) is actually the kengougo version of いい (ii), meaning good. So, the whole expression literally translates to “please be good to me.” Take a look at our list of common kenjougo conjugations and how they compare to casual and teinego language:

When Do You Use 謙譲語 (Kenjougo) or Humble Form?

Kenjougo or humble form is commonly used when speaking about yourself to people who are of a higher social status, like your boss, senpai, or teacher, as well as with people you do not know very well. It’s also common to use humble form when speaking about yourself or your company to customers and clients, since you want to lower your status to express that you are below them as a way of showing respect and even gratitude.  

The humble form is very common in formal situations, especially involving business partners, clients, or people you don’t know very well, even if they are a similar age or share a similar job title. To be on the safe side, humble form is often preferred in order to show respect and appreciation.

Note, kenjougo is commonly used in conjunction with sonkeigo (honorific form) to simultaneously elevate the listener and lower the status of the speaker. In a formal situation or whenever you would like to show respect to someone, you would never just use one or the other. 

For more details on how to use keigo in Japanese conversation, check out our blog: Introduction to Japanese Keigo: Honorific & Humble Form

When You Shouldn’t Use Keigo

While it is okay to use keigo to strangers who might be younger than you, if you are an adult talking to an obvious kid in keigo, you’ll get a few raised eyebrows. They’ll probably understand (although some younger Japanese children may not know keigo yet), but they will feel strange. 

The most important thing is not to use exaggerated keigo speech that you hear and read in Japanese pop culture: anime, manga, or historical movies. Remember that the Japanese used in these media are totally different than the ones in real life. You don’t want to sound like a low-caste farmer talking to a feudal lord during the samurai era. 

What’s Tameguchi? Casual Japanese Form

Tameguchi is a form of Japanese used to address someone as an equal, without using humble, honorific, or formal language. Tameguchi” means a way of talking that doesn’t contain polite expressions in Japanese conversation. 

The ため in this word was originally a gambling term, referring to when a pair of dice landed on the same number. The word “guchi” comes from the kanji kuchi (口), which means mouth or way of talking. The other name for Tameguchi is Tamego (タメ語) — 語 meaning “language”. 

Tameguchi is casual and, if used in the wrong scenario, impolite. One of the easiest ways to spot the difference between polite, formal and casual Japanese is the length. 

やっば〜！宿題忘れちゃった！
Yabbaa! Shukudai wasurechatta!
Oh no! I forgot my homework! 

Tameguchi, or casual Japanese, tends to be shorter compared to keigo. Let’s take a look at a scenario where you are asking someone to pass you the salt.

お塩を回していただけますでしょうか。(Keigo)
Oshio o mawashite itadakemashouka?

塩ちょうだい。(Tameguchi)
Shio choudai.

Notice the first sentence is way longer than the second? This is because it incorporates all the basic rules of keigo: adding the honorific prefixes of o (お) or go (ご) and いただく.

Another example is written below. 

大阪へはどうやっていけますか？(Teineigo)
Oosaka e wa dou yatte ikemasuka?
How do you get to Osaka?

大阪へはどうやって行くの? (Tameguchi)
Oosaka e wa dou yatte iku no?

When Can You Use Tameguchi?

When you’re talking to someone younger, it’s usually okay to use casual Japanese — even if you are meeting them for the first time. Remember that seniority plays a big part in Japanese society. Elders will use it when they’re talking to kids. It is, however, a big red flag when you reverse the situation. You should never use tameguchi to someone you’re trying to show respect to.  

Japanese people adopt a high-context culture, which means there are many factors taken into consideration in communication: status, social relationships, social environment, formality, non-verbal gestures, and even silence. Because of this, you might come across a few trials and errors before you can discern the appropriate time to use tameguchi and keigo.

When you are not sure, formal Japanese is probably the best form of the Japanese language. 

When Should You Not Use Tameguchi?

If you have just met a person and they talk to you as if they’ve known you all their life, you might feel a bit uncomfortable. 

In Western culture, ‘casual’ language is a great way to break the ice and help relax the mood. However, you don’t want to present yourself as ‘too friendly’ in front of a stranger. There’s not really an exact point when you can use tameguchi, but generally, you both need to establish a good, intimate relationship. 

Where to Learn — and Not to Learn — Tameguchi

The same thing goes for tameguchi. You wouldn’t want to imitate the slang and way of talking from anime or manga, particularly if it’s the shounen (young boy’s) genre.

Think of anime dialogue as the sort of dialogue you’d hear among 12-year-olds at recess, where they’re just shouting “Baka!” While some shows do take place in business seating and incorporate more polite, realistic characters, most of them tilt towards one extreme: super polite or super rude.

In most cases, dialogue in anime is very direct. Used outside the context of anime, it comes off as coarse, insulting, and even derogatory. The easiest way to look at it is this: even anime voice actors don’t speak like that. Instead, they often overexaggerate the words and manipulate the tone of their voice depending on the character’s personality. 

Learning Japanese from anime might make you more comfortable with the language and its structure, but taken by itself, it can really throw off your progress. The last thing you want to do is default your Japanese speaking skills to super-casual. 

Learning Japanese casual forms is a bit trickier than learning keigo, as there are seldom formal lessons about it. JLPT N2 and N1 examine your ability to use Japanese in the business setting, so keigo is usually part of the curriculum of many JLPT prep courses and advanced-level classes. 

However, tameguchi is not often taught in classroom lessons as often as in formal forms. Your best bet is to learn from comics, social media, and Japanese people. Try listening to your Japanese friends when they’re talking to one another. Slowly, you’ll start to adopt a few informal Japanese phrases and obtain enough fluency to interact with them on a more personal, casual level. This is what’s known as immersion-based learning, where you learn a new language in the most natural way by interacting directly in the environment.  

Conclusion

Japanese is very clearly organized between casual and differing levels of formal language, and there are specific situations when you should use each. Casual language is great for expressing warmth and comfort to those you are closer to, while formal language is ideal for business/office settings, when speaking to your boss, or when you’re in meetings or interviews. Just remember to use sonkeigo (honorific form) when speaking to or about others and kenjougo (humble form) when speaking about yourself! 

To really learn Japanese and how to use casual or formal Japanese properly, we highly recommend taking our conversation or business Japanese courses at Coto Academy. These courses will have you practice speaking Japanese to build confidence and language fluency. Our business course focuses on preparing foreigners to work and do interviews in Japanese! If this sounds right for you, sign up below!

FAQ

Ever wanted to learn some Japanese swear words? Much like in any language exchange, the topic of “what are the swear words in your language?” inevitably comes up — and Japanese is no exception. While Japan is often imagined as an extremely polite and quiet country, with its keigo and culture of respect, behind that veneer lies a rich and surprisingly fierce array of Japanese profanity, some of which can rival, or even surpass, English in intensity.

Japanese swear words are super fun to learn, especially if you’ve got a good basis of Japanese under your belt. It is one of the things you need to know them to avoid saying them, too. It’s rare for strangers to use Japanese curse words or slang casually. In fact, even if you’re friends with a Japanese person, you still need to be cautious about using a swear word, even if it’s mild.

That is to say, don’t really swear in public, or in general. Still, these are fun Japanese swear words to know, and we can’t blame you for wanting to learn. And it’s not like you can never say these. Around your friends, go for it, but with someone you don’t really know, maybe watch your tongue. Here, we will cover as many Japanese swear words as we can!

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1. 馬鹿 (Baka): Stupid

The Japanese word baka (ばか) basically means “fool” or”idiot”. Depending on the tone and situation, it can range from a playful “dummy” to a harsh insult that stings.

The kanji is 馬鹿. 馬, meaning “horse” (uma), and 鹿, which means “deer” (shika). You might also see it written in katakana as バカ.

お前はバカなの？
Omae wa baka na no?
Are you stupid?

2. アホ (Aho): Stupid

Aho means idiot or stupid. If you watch a lot of anime, you probably know another way to call someone an idiot, 馬鹿 (aka), so what’s the difference between the two? While the two share the same meaning, アホ is more commonly used in the Kansai region, where it can range from playful teasing to outright insults, while 馬鹿 is used more in the Kanto region. Funnily enough, this results in either being more offensive in the region they’re used less.

In contrast, in the Kanto region, アホ feels harsher, and 馬鹿 is the preferred term for calling someone stupid.

お前、アホちゃう？
Omae, aho chau?
Are you an idiot?

3. ブス (Busu): Ugly Woman

Busu is an extremely ugly woman, and it is used specifically for women to insult their physical appearance; it’s a cruel and offensive term. It’s not the word you should use to a stranger — unless you want to crush their self-esteem.

It’s a demeaning term, so even if you intend to joke around, consider how people might feel about it.

The male version of ブス (Busu) is ブ男 (Buotoko). When someone mutters “busu” or “buotoko” under their breath, you’ll know the meaning and possibly how to react.

お前、ブスだよ。
Omae, busu da yo.
You’re ugly

4. 畜生 (Chikusho): Damn It!

Chikushou (ちくしょう) is an exclamation usually used out of frustration. It’s similar to saying “Damn!” or “Damn it!” in English. Sometimes, the translation goes, “For Christ’s sake!” It also has meaning outside of as an exclamation, that being “Beast” or “Brute”.

You don’t direct this Japanese swear word to someone. Rather, you use it when facing an unfortunate event or anything remotely inconvenient.

ちくしょう、パンクだ！
Chikushou, panku da!
Damn it! I’ve got a flat (tire)!

5. 黙れ (Damare): Shut up!

Like the phrase うるさい (Urusai), damare is used to say “Shut up!” The word stems from the Japanese verb 黙る (damaru), which means “to be quiet.” However, this is the Japanese command form used to express strong orders or demands.

Unlike using ください (kudasai) or お願いします (onegaishimasu), which are closer to a request or soft demand, this command form is not exactly polite.

This Japanese swear word is often interchangeable with うるさい (urusai), but they mean two different things, with the same implication. うるさい is a Japanese adjective that means “noisy.”

If you hear someone say this, it’s more to passively shut someone up: “You’re noisy! (So shut up)!” They will typically take it as a sign to tone it down.

だまれ, on the other hand, is much more of a command, so it is much more impolite to use it.

だまれ、このやろう！
Damare, kono yarou!
Shut up, you bastard!

6. どけ (Doke): Get out of my way!

Similar to だまれ, どけ (doke) is a Japanese command form from the verb どく, which means to step aside or move out of the way. When you’re pissed off and have to make the people move out of your path, you might lash out and say, “Get out of my way!”

It’s an extremely rude way of ‘asking’ someone to make way for you, and you shouldn’t use it in normal circumstances — like when you’re trying to get out of a packed train car.

どけ、邪魔だよ！
Doke, jama da yo!
Move, you’re in my way!

7. ふざけるな (Fuzakeru na): Don’t Mess With Me!

Any Japanese verb with a “na” な on the end is usually taken as an aggressive negative command of “don’t”.

ふざけるな comes from the phrase ふざける (fuzakeru), meaning to mess around. When used with な, it becomes a negative command, telling someone to stop messing around. It has since been translated to mean either “Stop messing around/with me”, or the more direct “Screw off”. The more casual version of this is the shortened ふざけんあ (Fuzakenna) often used in anime or informal settings.

ふざけるな、マジで！
Fuzakeru na, maji de!
Don’t mess with me, seriously!

8. うざい (Uzai): Annoying!

The word うざい, stylized as ウザイ (uzai), is short for うるさい (urusai), which means “noisy”, and うざったい, which means “annoying”. If you’re the type who gets annoyed at the slight public disturbance, you can use this for a not-so-subtle diss.

Think of this word as the English equivalent of saying that someone is being a pain in the ass.

If you want to stress the swear word more, you can end the word ウザイ (uzai) with a long ‘e’: ウゼェー (uzee)!

田中先生がウザくない？
Tanaka-sensei ga uzakunai?
Isn’t Tanaka-sensei a pain in the ass?

9. クソ (Kuso): Shit!

Kuso means “Poo”. Much like chikushou, it is used as an exclamation out of anger. While it can be used independently, it also sees a lot of use with other words. In these cases, it is used as an adjective. For example クソガキ (kusogaki), meaning “Shitty brat”.

クソ！なんでこうなるんだ？
Kuso! Nande kou narun da?
Shit! Why does this always happen?

10. お前 (Omae): You

These are both very rude ways of saying “you” in Japanese. In anime, particularly the shounen genre, male characters may use this second-person pronoun. It’s often translated as “bastard”, but most people wouldn’t really say it in real life.

This is similar to another word not on this list 貴様 (きさま), another rude way of saying “You,” which is commonly used in anime but never in real life.

Omae can be considered a rude way to refer to someone. It used to be considered honorific, but that was a long time ago. Of course, real life is not like anime, so try not to use it with just anyone.

お前が言うな.
Omae ga iu na.
Look who’s talking.

11. 手前 (てめえ/Temee): You (Bastard)

Not necessarily a Japanese swear word, but it is a very rude word that is hardly used by anyone in real life, though it can be commonly found in Japanese media like manga and anime.

Fictional characters use it to address others when they are angry, as it is considered less rude than in real life.  

手前、何様のつもりだ？
Temee, nani-sama no tsumori da?
Who do you think you are, bastard?

12. 死ねえ (Shinee): Go Die!

Another swear word very popular in anime, しねえ means ”Die!” or “Go die!” Can’t get much worse than that. Of course, because it’s so commonly used, it’s kind of lost its severity, making it a fun word to throw around among friends.

Again, make sure not to use it against anyone you don’t know too well.

死ねえ、もう我慢できない！
Shinee, mou gaman dekinai!
Die, I can’t take it anymore!

13. やろう (Yarou)

Yarou technically just means ”Guy” (gender). It’s commonly used towards men and as a way to refer to someone.

As a Japanese swear word, it usually doesn’t stand alone. Rather, you’ll pair it with other words like baka or kuso. ばかやろう(baka yarou). You should not use やろう (yarou) to address women, as the usage would be wrong.

だまれこのやろう 
Damare konoyarou
Shut up you bastard!

14. くたばれ (Kutabare): Drop Dead / Go to Hell

This is one of the stronger insults in Japanese, used to express extreme anger. It’s far more intense than common words like baka (idiot) or damare (shut up). This phrase isn’t something you’d hear in everyday conversation but might appear during heated arguments or in dramatic movie scenes. Its use is rare, but when it’s said, the intention is clear: the speaker is furious.

It’s used only in extreme situations, usually when someone loses control and wants to lash out verbally.

くたばれ、この野郎！ 
Kutabare, kono yarou!
Go to hell, you bastard!

15. ばばあ (Babaa) / じじい (Jijii): Grumpy Old Woman / Cranky Old Man

These words are used to insult older people, with babaa directed at women and jijii at men. In a culture where elders are usually treated with respect, using these words can be particularly offensive. While they might be used jokingly in anime or manga, in real life, they’re more likely to upset or insult someone.

Often spoken in frustration or anger. These words are also common in fictional works to portray rude or rebellious characters.If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, you might recognize the character Yubaba. Her name cleverly incorporates ばば (baba), which is a nod to ばばあ (babaa), meaning “old woman.” While it’s not intended as an insult in the film, her personality, stern, controlling, and a bit unpleasant, ties into the connotations of the word. This is an example of how language can be used creatively in storytelling without the usual negative implications

16. カス (Kasu): Scum / Worthless Person

Kasu is a deeply insulting term that likens someone to residue or waste, which is its literal meaning. It’s often used to demean someone’s character, implying they have no value. This word is not just offensive; it carries a lot of weight when spoken, so it’s best avoided altogether.

Usually heard in heated arguments, where emotions run high, and the speaker intends to seriously insult someone.

あのばばあ、また文句ばかり言ってるよ。 
Ano babaa, mata monku bakari itteru yo.
That old hag is complaining again.

17. ボケ (Boke): Fool

Boke (ボケ) means “fool” or “idiot.” It’s often used humorously in conversations, but it can also come off as an insult depending on the tone.
In a more casual sense, it’s often paired with other words, like ボケナス (bokenasu), which means “stupid eggplant.”

お前、ボケてんの？ 
Omae, boketen no?
Are you being stupid?

18. くさい (Kusai): Smelly

Kusai (くさい) means “smelly” or “stinky.” It can be used to describe something that literally smells bad or as an insult to say someone reeks.
This term can also imply someone has a figurative stench, like being shady or suspicious.

お前、くさすぎるよ！ 
Omae, kusa sugiru yo!
You stink too much!

19. きもい (Kimoi): Gross

Kimoi (きもい) is slang for “gross” or “creepy.” It’s short for 気持ち悪い (kimochi warui), meaning “disgusting.”
This word is often used casually among friends, but can be offensive depending on the context.

あいつ、本当にきもいね。
Aitsu, hontou ni kimoi ne.
That guy is really gross.

20.   ハゲ (Hage): Baldy

This word is mostly used as a jab at men, hitting a sensitive spot — after all, few people like having their receding hairline or thinning crown pointed out. ハゲ literally means “bald” or “bald person.” It can sometimes be funny or teasing, but depending on how you use it, it can easily come off as offensive.

Fun fact: ハゲ can also be a verb. The verb ハゲる (hageru) means “to go bald” or “to become bald.”

彼はハゲてる
Kare wa hageteru
He is bald. 

21. あばずれ (Abazure): Bitch

If you’ve ever heard the word あばずれ (abazure) in Japanese, you might want to brace yourself — it’s not exactly a compliment. This term is a pretty harsh insult, usually directed at women, implying that they’re shameless, immoral, or just plain wild. 

Fun fact: The word can technically apply to men, too, but these days, it’s mostly aimed at women. Historically, it had a broader meaning, but the modern use is definitely more pointed.

22. クズ男 (Kuzu Otoko): Scumbag

Kuzu otoko (クズ男) translates to “scumbag man” in Japanese. The word kuzu literally means “trash” or “worthless,” and typically this label is reserved for guys who treated girls poorly in the dating scene.

For example, a kuzu otoko could be the guy you go on a date with who “accidentally” forgets his wallet. He absolutely loves women — a little too much. He has a tendency to cheat. Another common trait is that he spends money recklessly. He often gets himself into financial trouble, such as gambling. It’s one thing if he gambles with his own money, but he might end up in debt. He may also borrow money from friends and never pay it back.

23. クソジジイ (Kuso Jijii): Shitty Old Ma

The word jiji is slang for an older Japanese man. It’s written as “爺” or “ジジイ.” Its original meaning is “elderly man” or “grandfather,” but usually it’s understood more like “old geezer.”

Kuso jijii (クソジジイ) is a much stronger insult. The word kuso means “shit” or “damn,” so the phrase emphasizes disgust or anger. It is commonly used to describe a mean, stubborn, or ill-behaved elderly man.

“Kuso jiji” (shitty old man) is a much stronger insult. Adding kuso (which means “shit” or “damn”) makes it more aggressive. It’s commonly used to describe a mean, stubborn, or badly behaved elderly man.

Weirdly enough, in very specific situations, kuso jiji can be used in a humorous or affectionate way — but only if you’ve known the person for a long time and things are super casual between you. For example, imagine you’ve had the same old neighbor for 20 years. He’s always outside watering his plants and complaining about how “things were better back in the day.” But at the same time, he gives you vegetables from his garden and keeps an eye on your house when you’re away.

One day, he starts grumbling because you came home late again and made noise with your car. You laugh and say, “You’re still spying on the whole street, huh, you kuso jiji?” In that kind of long-term, joking relationship where there’s mutual understanding, it can come off as playful teasing. If you said it to a random elderly man, though, it would be seriously rude.

Do you need to learn Japanese curse words?

At the end of the day, Japanese swear words are a normal part of the culture, much like in any other country. But if you don’t plan on ever using them, why bother learning them?

1. Know it to understand 

The most straightforward reason: learning Japanese swear words helps you actually understand them, so you won’t be caught off guard. Imagine someone calls you something in Japanese that sounds like a curse, and you have no idea what it means. You’ll look completely clueless.

2. Avoid offending people

If you spend a lot of time watching anime or reading manga aimed at adults, it’s easy to pick up words without realizing their strength. Knowing what’s considered rude keeps you from unintentionally offending others.

3. Understand Japanese culture more

Many Japanese swear words are tied to physical traits — being old, bald, overweight, or smelly — and reflect cultural attitudes. Learning them gives insight into how Japanese people express insult, humor, and social judgment.

If you want to learn Japanese, contact the friendly team at Coto Academy and we will recommend you the best class and campus!

Being Offensive in Japan Without Even Meaning It

Japanese culture is rooted in indirect communication, where the “true” meaning is often found between the lines. For students of the language, this creates a hidden minefield. Even if you never utter a single explicit swear word, the intentional (or accidental) misuse of social cues can be just as offensive to a Japanese listener as a string of profanities.

Here are the two most common ways learners accidentally cause offense:

1. Using “Anata”

In English, “you” is a functional, neutral pronoun. In Japanese, however, the word anata (あなた) carries a heavy weight. Why? Because Japanese relies on pronoun avoidance, “you” can feel confrontational, sounding more like an accusation than a simple address.

For example, imagine you want to see if a co-worker can help with an additional task. You walk over to their desk and, before making the request, you ask them what they are doing.

The English Thought: “What are you doing?” (Neutral)

あなたは、何をしていますか？
Anata wa, nani o shite imasu ka?
What are you doing?

To a native speaker, this doesn’t sound like a curious question. It sounds like a finger pointed at their chest. It carries the energy of: “And just what do you think you’re doing?” 

Work around this by softening the blow. In Japanese, it is always safer to use the person’s name with the right Japanese suffix or omit the subject entirely.

2. Using the wrong degree of formality

In Japanese, “profanity” isn’t always about using bad words, either. It’s often about the misuse of honorifics (keigo). Dropping into casual speech with a stranger or a superior is a linguistic way of signaling a total lack of respect.

This is particularly dangerous when you are still “socially blind” to the Japanese hierarchy. Imagine this scenario:

You are in the elevator with your company’s CEO. As the doors open, you accidentally bump into them. No physical harm is done, but you want to apologize quickly. You recently learned how to say “sorry” in your Japanese class, so you blurt out the first thing that comes to mind: “Gomen ne!” (ごめんね！)

In English, “Sorry!” works for almost anyone. But in Japanese, gomen ne is what you say to a very close friend. By saying this to your CEO, you have effectively “leveled” them to you or your junior. 

To avoid sounding shockingly rude, you should have used “Sumimasen” (すみません) or the even more formal, “moushiwake gozaimasen” (申し訳ございません).

Do Japanese People Curse in General?

Japanese people do curse, but they do it a bit differently from English speakers. For one thing, Japanese “cursing” often relies more on tone of voice than on specific swear words. Japanese profanity does not usually involve direct equivalents of English f-words; instead, the perceived offensiveness depends heavily on tone, intonation, and the situation in which a phrase is used.

For example, the phrase 何見てんだよ (nani mitenda yo) can simply mean “What are you looking at?” when said in a neutral tone. However, if it is delivered harshly and aggressively — 何見てんだよ！— it can come across more like “What the hell are you looking at?” in English.

Ready to speak more (or less) Japanese profanity? Be fluent in Japanese with Coto Academy’s fun, flexible courses!

Let’s face it: no standard textbook is going to teach you how to curse in Japanese. That’s where Coto Academy comes in. With conversation-focused, practical Japanese lessons, we give you the tools to recognize, understand, and navigate Japanese swear words in real life. That way, when someone drops a word you’ve never heard, you won’t be left staring blankly.

Learn the language as it’s really spoken, not just what’s in textbooks, and never get caught off guard again by joining our part-time or intensive Japanese lessons! If you’re ready to dive deeper into Japanese language and culture, why not take a class with us and learn the right way to express yourself?

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