Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 罵る | nonoshiru | [no̞no̞ɕiɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 悪態をつく | akutai o tsuku | |
| 怒鳴る | donaru | [do̞na̠ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
When you want to describe the act of using offensive language, you can use 罵る, 悪態をつく or 怒鳴る. If you are referring to a supernatural curse or hex, use the noun 呪い or 呪縛. If you want to refer to a vulgar epithet or a bad word, use the nouns 悪口 or 卑語. Note that Kuso is a commonly used informal curse word in Japanese that translates to 'shit' in English.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase 悪態をつく, the noun 悪態 literally means 'bad words' or 'bad temper/bad attitude'.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the specific nature of the action. 罵る is used for verbally abusing or reviling someone, whereas 怒鳴る specifically refers to the act of shouting or yelling in anger, which may or may not include actual cursing. Finally, it is important to distinguish between verbal abuse and supernatural phenomena: while 罵る means to curse someone verbally, 呪い refers to a supernatural curse.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
nonoshiru
Did you know?
- Japanese lacks a category of 'curse words' that function like English profanity. Instead, the language expresses 'cursing' through the use of rude pronouns and aggressive verb endings.
- Because Japanese is a high-context language, a person can be perceived as 罵る (cursing/reviling) someone without using a single 'bad' word, simply by using overly formal language in a sarcastic tone.
- In traditional Japanese folklore, a supernatural 呪い (curse) is often achieved by writing the victim's name on a straw doll and piercing it with nails.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “curse” translations and entries 罵る, 怒鳴る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
