くそ
-kuso
A common Japanese way to say dammit is くそ (-kuso) (kuso).
くそ is blurted out in anger or frustration, like dammit or damn. Its literal meaning is dung, so it is crude and best kept for casual speech.
Meaning: expression of anger or disappointment (intj)
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not say くそ in polite company, at work or to older people.
Did you know?
- Historically, the sound くそ served as a rude way to address someone by omitting their name, effectively becoming a derogatory second person pronoun.
- When used as a prefix, くそ becomes an intensifier meaning 'extremely'. For instance, くそ暑い describes weather that is 'damn hot'.
- In anime and manga, the form くそっ ends with a glottal stop. This creates a sharper, more aggressive sound to signal masculinity or intense rage.
Examples in context
- くそー、渚のやつ、本当に先生にチクりやがった。Dammit, that pest Nagisa, she really went and snitched on me to the teachers.くそー stretches the word with a long vowel for extra frustration.Tatoeba #75484 by fcbond, translation #328234 by fcbond
- くそ、またバスを逃した。kuso, mata basu o nogashita.Dammit, I missed the bus again.
- くそ、鍵を忘れた！kuso, kagi o wasureta!Dammit, I forgot my keys!
Example conversation
A young man and woman are studying at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariあ、くそ！計算が合わない。A, kuso! keisan ga awanai.Ah, dammit! The calculation doesn't match.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵、大丈夫？手伝おうか？Himari, daijoubu? Tetsudao ka?Himari, are you okay? Shall I help you?
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう。陽太、お願い。Arigatou. Youta,onegai.Thanks. Youta, please.
- 陽太 Yotaどこが間違っているのかな。Doko ga machigatte iru no kana.I wonder where the mistake is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry くそ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries くそ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
