Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 糟糕 | zāogāo |
| 該死 / 该死 | gāisǐ |
| 你妹 | nǐmèi |
Depending on the situation, you may use different words. 糟糕 is a mild expression used when something goes wrong, similar to saying "Oh no" or "Oh my goodness". 该死 (or 該死) is more aggressive and translates to "Damn it" or "Dammit". For a very casual or internet-based way to say "Darn" or "Damn", you might hear 靠. In internet slang, the much more vulgar 卧槽 is used, similar to the F-word.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 該死 (gāisǐ) literally translates to "should die".
Which one should you use?
糟糕 is a safe, mild way to express that a situation is bad or that something is a mess. In contrast, 該死 is more aggressive and carries a stronger sense of frustration or annoyance.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
你妹 is a slangy, internet-derived expression used to mock or deflect someone, functioning much like a dismissive "damn you" or "shut up".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To use "damn" as an adjective to modify a noun (for example, "the damn car"), you should add the particle 的 (de) to the end of 該死 (gāisǐ).
How do you pronounce it?
zāogāo
When do people say it?
The term 你妹 literally means "your sister" and is used in internet culture to deflect or mock someone's comment.
Did you know?
- The word 糟糕 (zāogāo) may have roots in older literature describing a situation involving debts or being pressured by an innkeeper.
- The phrase 该死 literally means 'should die', making the Chinese expression for 'damn' significantly more morbid than the English version.
Examples in context
- 糟糕！我迟到了！ (Zāo gāo! Wǒ chídào le!)Oh no! I'm late!
- 靠！我忘记带钱包了！(Kào! Wǒ wàngjì dài qiánbāo le!)Damn! I forgot to bring my wallet!
- 该死！电脑又坏了！(Gāi sǐ! Diànnǎo yòu huài le!)Dammit! The computer is broken again!
- 这个游戏太难了，卧槽！(Zhège yóuxì tài nán le, wò cáo!)This game is so difficult, damn it! (Internet slang)
- 糟糕，我把鑰匙忘在車上了。Zāogāo, wǒ bǎ yàoshi wàng zài chē shàng le.Damn, I left my keys in the car.
- 糟糕，電影快要開始了。Zāogāo, diànyǐng kuàiyào kāishǐ le.Damn, the movie is about to start.
- 糟糕，今天又要下雨了。Zāogāo, jīntiān yòu yào xiàyǔ le.Damn, it's going to rain again today.
Example conversation
A couple is walking home when they realize they are stuck in the rain.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen糟糕，我看天氣預報說今天會下大雨。Zāogāo, wǒ kàn tiānqì yùbào shuō jīntiān huì xià dàyǔ.Damn, the weather report said there would be heavy rain today.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我也沒帶傘，現在真麻煩。Wǒ yě méi dài sǎn, xiànzài zhēn máfan.I didn't bring an umbrella either, this is a real mess.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen志強，我們快跑吧，不然會淋濕的。Zhìqiáng, wǒmen kuài pǎo ba, bùrán huì línshī de.Zhiqiang, let's run, otherwise we'll get soaked.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好，我們去那間便利商店躲一下。Hǎo, wǒmen qù nà jiān biànlì shāngdiàn duǒ yīxià.Okay, let's go hide in that convenience store for a bit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “damn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 你妹, 糟糕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
