# 他妈的



## maghanish2

Hello!

I apologize if this word (他妈的) is vulgar, but I heard it and don't know what it means.  I believe it's a curse word, but I'm not sure.

Is it maybe f**k or d**n?  

Thanks for the help and again I apologize if this is a rude topic.

謝謝


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## DanielChina

It is really a curse word and vulgar. I think it is somewhere near F**K. It would raise eyebrows anywhere. Be careful, better not use it.


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## maghanish2

Okay thank you very much.  I am glad that someone told me.  Thanks again!


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## Jamison

'他妈的' is similar to 'Fucking'.


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## maghanish2

So Jamison, is it used just like when you stub your toe or something?  The same way "damn" is used in English?  Or does it have to modify something?


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## lmyyyks

It can be used alone, or as an adjective
他妈的! (Dxxn! / Fxxk! ..........etc.)
他妈的毒奶粉! (The dxxn / fxxking poisoned/toxic milk powder!)
some people may simplify it to "TMD"


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## maghanish2

Okay.  Thanks so much and again I apologize for the vulgar tone of this thread.


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## daoxunchang

If other forms of this vulgar expression are used, you might infer the speaker is insulting a particular person. e.g. 你妈的 ni ma de. I believe there's an euphemistic omission of the female genital organ after "de", so if you hear 你妈的 "your mother's", you can be sure the speaker is insulting the one he's speaking to. I personally feel strong antipathy and very angry at hearing such words. Maybe it's different with boys.


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## Flaminius

魯迅 once referred to it as 國罵.  Well, he wasn't exactly a boy that time...


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## daoxunchang

hehe, I use boys to refer to males. The American TV serials have made me feel uncomfortable using any general term to refer to a gender group as a whole, including "boy". 
Well, I believe this expression is enormously wide-spread, but I'm not sure how it goes with dialects, for my dialect, for example, does not have the exact same words for this insult. But of course it has expressions to the same effect.


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## Aoyama

> so if you hear 你妈的 "your mother's", you can be sure the speaker is insulting the one he's speaking to


That's interesting, because if you may often hear 他妈的 !, you don't hear so much 你妈的 ! (which would then be closer to "mother f...er" than 他 ..., or like French : "ta mère !").
But then, where does the expression really come from and why use 他 instead of 你 ... which would sound more "logical" (in as far as there is some logic required here) ?


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## AVim

Aoyama said:


> where does the expression really come from and why use 他 instead of 你 ... which would sound more "logical" (in as far as there is some logic required here) ?



Well... I think that '他妈的' often implies "someone's mother's (pussy)", and most Chinese will consider it as a bad-luck thing. So this phrase is often used for complaining;   '你妈的' may imply "(f**k) your mother's (pussy)" , which implies "mother f**ker", which implies "I am (at) your father('s level)..."

Would that be logic enough for you?


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## daoxunchang

Aoyama said:


> That's interesting, because if you may often hear 他妈的 !, you don't hear so much 你妈的 ! (which would then be closer to "mother f...er" than 他 ..., or like French : "ta mère !").
> But then, where does the expression really come from and why use 他 instead of 你 ... which would sound more "logical" (in as far as there is some logic required here) ?


 
As I've said, 你妈的is a direct and distinct insult. But 他妈的might be a simple and bland swear word, just like "hell". It does not necessarily be meant as an insult.

I'm afraid I cannot give any information about the originality of this expression. As Flaminius mentioned, 鲁迅 referred to it as 国骂 and it must have had a very long history and I don't think one could find much specialised materials on such a vulgar expression. I think the "theme" embodied in this expression is universal, though.


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## mattus

TMD is not merely a 国骂，but a 国粹！


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## Aoyama

> Well... I think that '他妈的' often implies "someone's mother's (pussy)", (...) So this phrase is often used for complaining; '你妈的' may imply "(f**k) your mother's (pussy)" , which implies "mother f**ker", which implies "I am (at) your father('s level)..."


Right. That would simply mean that 他妈的 would be a _general curse_ like "f...k !" (or "shit") but not an _insult_ , whereas 你妈的 would be  _a personal insult_  like "f...k *you*" or " *you *mother f...ker ".


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## tzyy

something like monther f**ker, screw it, damn it....


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## jeffyyko

which is very rude word anywhere in China ,so best not to say it anytime .


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## lovinglgz

its similar to F_u_c_k or S_h_i_t


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## snowyau

Aoyama said:


> Right. That would simply mean that 他妈的 would be a _general curse_ like "f...k !" (or "shit") but not an _insult_ , whereas 你妈的 would be  _a personal insult_  like "f...k *you*" or " *you *mother f...ker ".



Think of 他 in this context as a generic "you" (or fourth person?), like "on" in French. In other words, "one's mother" or "someone's mother". (although could also specifically be "his mother" - just depends on context again)


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## Aoyama

Good explanation, thank you.


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## maghanish2

I am a little confused.  The possessive particle 的 is after the word 媽 so shouldn't the translation be "his mom's"?  I'm a little confused so I apologize!


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## snowyau

Yes, the phrase is indeed missing a euphemistic word at the end of it.

It literally means: "Your mother's <blank>". As with swearing in most cultures, it's all misogynistic... the blank basically implies "genitalia".


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## snowyau

A slightly off-topic note: as with all Chinese, advanced speakers generally understand how to read between the lines.

For example, if someone asked a government official "Can I see the ..." (say something politically sensitive), they might reply: "这不太方便", literally meaning "that's not convenient".

But you then must know not to ask "When will it be convenient?". In that context, it really implies "It will never be convenient for you to see it". Therefore, in "他妈的", you just have to imply that which you need to say, I guess.


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