嫌な奴
iyana yatsu
In Japanese, the phrase for "douchebag" is 嫌な奴 (iyana yatsu).
嫌な奴 is used to describe a jerk or an idiot. Depending on your tone, it can range from a mild complaint about an unpleasant person to a more pointed insult.
Meaning: slang: jerk, idiot (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
嫌な奴 is an informal term. If you are expressing anger or annoyance, you might also use the informal phrase バカ野郎 (Baka-yarō) to call someone a "douchebag". To express contempt toward someone, you can use クズ (Kuzu), which literally means "garbage" or "trash".
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 奴 (yatsu) in this phrase is a counter or noun that is inherently masculine. Depending on the context, it can sound derogatory or overly familiar.
How do you pronounce it?
iyana yatsu
Did you know?
- The word 奴 (yatsu) originally referred to a 'slave' or a servant in ancient Japan. Over time, it evolved from a description of social status into a general, often derogatory, way to refer to a person.
- While 嫌な奴 (iyana yatsu) is a common way to say 'jerk', the word 奴 (yatsu) can actually be used as a friendly, albeit very rough, way to refer to a close male friend among men.
- In traditional Japanese theater like Kabuki, certain stylized ways of shouting insults using 野郎 (yarō) are used to signal a character's low social class or rebellious nature to the audience.
Examples in context
- あいつは本当に嫌な奴だ。Aitsu wa hontou ni iya na yatsu da.That guy is a real jerk.
- 昨日、嫌な奴に会った。Kinou, iya na yatsu ni atta.I met a jerk yesterday.
- 彼は嫌な奴だけど、仕事はできる。Kare wa iya na yatsu dakedo, shigoto wa dekiru.He is a jerk, but he is good at his job.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a rude customer at a cafe.
- 大翔 Hirotoさっきの客、すごく嫌な奴だったね。Sakki no kyaku, sugoku iya na yatsu datta ne.That customer just now was such a jerk, wasn't he?
- 陽葵 Himari本当に。大翔、災難だったね。Hontou ni. Hiroto, sainan datta ne.Truly. Hiroto, you had a run of bad luck.
- 大翔 Hirotoもう二度とあんな奴には会いたくないよ。Mou nidoto anna yatsu ni wa aitakunai yo.I never want to see a guy like that again.
- 陽葵 Himariそうだね、忘れて元気出して。Sou da ne, wasurete genki dashite.Right, just forget it and cheer up.
