馬鹿
baka[ba̠ka̠]
The English word "idiot" translates to Japanese as 馬鹿 (baka). If unsure, use 馬鹿. Wiktionary also lists 白痴 (hakuchi) and 戯け者 (tawakemono).
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 馬鹿 | baka | [ba̠ka̠] (narrow) |
| 白痴 | hakuchi | [ha̠kɯ̟̊t͡ɕi] (narrow) |
| 戯け者 | tawakemono | [ta̠β̞a̠ke̞mo̞no̞] (narrow) [o̞do̞ke̞mo̞no̞] (narrow) |
馬鹿 is the direct translation for "idiot" and is a common colloquial term. It can function as a noun meaning "an idiot" or be used as an adjective meaning "stupid" or "foolish".
Which one should you use?
While 馬鹿 is a common way to say idiot, 白痴 is a clinical term for intellectual disability and is considered highly offensive or inappropriate in casual conversation. 戯け者 is more literary or archaic than 馬鹿, often implying someone who acts like a fool or a jester rather than just having low intelligence.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 馬鹿 as an adjective to modify a noun, such as "a stupid person", it often takes the form 馬鹿な (baka na).
How do you pronounce it?
baka
Did you know?
- The phrase 馬鹿 may originate from an ancient Chinese idiom about pointing to a deer and calling it a horse to deliberately misinterpret reality.
- The word 馬鹿 is frequently used as a prefix to mean 'excessive' or 'extreme', such as 馬鹿高い for something that is 'stupidly expensive'.
- In anime and manga, the phrase 馬鹿ね (baka ne) is a stereotypical trait of the 'tsundere' character archetype, used to hide affection.
Examples in context
- お前は馬鹿か。Are you an idiot?This sentence shows how to ask if someone is an idiot using 馬鹿.Tatoeba #2217820 by bunbuku, translation #1886357 by CK
- 私ったら馬鹿ね。I'm such an idiot.This sentence shows how someone might use 馬鹿 to describe themselves.Tatoeba #164957 by small_snow, translation #1111986 by Scott
- 君の馬鹿はどうにもならない。You are a hopeless idiot.This sentence shows an example of using 馬鹿 to describe someone as a hopeless idiot.Tatoeba #178077 by wakatyann630, translation #2726752 by WestofEden
- あの人は阿呆だけど、面白い。That person is an idiot, but funny.
- あいつは本当にばかやろうやな。That person is a real idiot, you know.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are teasing each other during a video game.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮は本当に馬鹿ね。Ren wa hontou ni baka ne.Ren, you are such an idiot.
- 蓮 Ren美咲こそ馬鹿じゃないか。Misaki koso baka janai ka.You're the idiot, Misaki.
- 美咲 Misakiもう、馬鹿言わないでよ。Mou, baka iwanai de yo.Geez, don't say stupid things.
- 蓮 Renごめん、馬鹿にするつもりはなかったよ。Gomen, baka ni suru tsumori wa nakatta yo.Sorry, I didn't mean to call you an idiot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations and entries 馬鹿, 白痴, 戯け者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 戯け者, 白痴, 馬鹿, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
