黙れ
damare
The English phrase "shut the hell up" is expressed in Japanese as 黙れ (damare).
黙れ is an extremely rude and aggressive command used to tell someone to stop talking immediately. It is often used in heated arguments or by characters in fiction to convey extreme anger.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
黙れ is a highly aggressive and blunt command, equivalent to a confrontational "shut up" or "shut the hell up". The form だまれよ is an informal and slightly aggressive way to tell someone to be quiet.
How do you pronounce it?
damare
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the concept of silence is split between 黙る, which implies a choice to stop talking, and 静かになる, which describes the general state of being quiet. Using 黙れ targets the person's will to speak rather than the noise level of the room.
- Because Japanese culture highly values 'reading the air' 空気を読む, using 黙れ is seen as a total abandonment of social harmony and is far more shocking than 'shut up' is in English.
- Because the imperative form 黙れ is so rare in daily life, it is often associated with historical samurai dramas or military commands. Using it in a modern setting feels like a deliberate choice to act like a movie character or a historical tyrant.
Examples in context
- だまれ！Shut up!
- だまれよ！Shut the hell up!
- うるさい、黙れ！urusai, damare!Shut up, shut the hell up!
- いいから黙れ。ii kara damare.Just shut the hell up already.
- 黙れよ、ブス。damare yo, busu.Shut the hell up, ugly.
Example conversation
An argument breaks out in a crowded street.
- 大翔 Hirotoうるさいんだよ！黙れ！urusain dayo! damare!You're so annoying! Shut the hell up!
- 結衣 Yui何よ、そんな言い方！nani yo, sonna iikata!Hey, don't talk to me like that!
- 大翔 Hiroto黙れって言ってるんだ！damare tte itterun da!I said shut the hell up!
- 結衣 Yui最悪、もう知らない！saiaku, mou shiranai!You're the worst, I'm done with you!
