この馬鹿
kono baka
In Japan, to say you fool in Japanese, say この馬鹿, read kono baka.
It is a rude insult or an exasperated rebuke, heard in anger or in manga and dramas.
What does it mean word for word?
この means this and 馬鹿 means fool, so it is literally this fool.
How do you pronounce it?
Say kono baka with short, even syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
It is offensive, so do not use it with people you do not know well.
Did you know?
- The word 馬鹿 is written with the characters for 'horse' and 'deer'. Some believe it refers to a legend about a person who mistook a deer for a horse, proving their foolishness.
- In certain regions like Tokyo, the word 馬鹿 can actually be used as a term of endearment between close friends or lovers, though it remains highly risky for learners.
- When used in a non-insulting way, 馬鹿 can describe someone who is 'stupidly' good at a specific skill, such as a 勉強馬鹿 who is a 'study fool' or obsessive scholar.
Examples in context
- 何考えてんだよ、この馬鹿！What are you doing, you fool!この馬鹿 comes at the end, after an angry question about what the person was thinking.Tatoeba #2764120 by tommy_san, translation #2844301 by eirik174
- また約束を忘れたの？この馬鹿！Mata yakusoku o wasureta no? Kono baka!You forgot our promise again? You fool!
- そんな危ないことしないで、この馬鹿！Sonna abunai koto shinaide, kono baka!Don't do something so dangerous, you fool!
Example conversation
Hiroto forgot his umbrella and got soaked in the rain.
- 大翔 Hirotoあーあ、全部濡れた。Ā-ā, zenbu nureta.Aw man, I'm soaked all over.
- 陽葵 Himari傘持っていったの？この馬鹿。Kasa motte itta no? Kono baka.Did you take an umbrella? You fool.
- 大翔 Hiroto忘れてたよ。Wasureteta yo.I forgot it.
- 陽葵 Himari次は気をつけてよね。Tsugi wa ki o tsukete yo ne.Be more careful next time.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
