他妈的 (tā mā de)
What does 他妈的 (tā mā de) mean? 他妈的 (tā mā de) is a Chinese strong that translates to “fuck / damn / shit” in English.
Literal Translation
his mother's
Meaning & Usage
"fuck / damn / shit"
Possessive phrase implying 'fuck his mother'; used as universal exclamation.
Examples in the Wild
他妈的！下雨了！ (Tā mā de! It's raining! - Damn it! It's raining!)
When to Use It
Context
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
The most common Chinese exclamation, used daily by millions. Abbreviated as TMD in texting. Comparable to English 'fuck' or 'damn' in versatility. '你他妈的' (nǐ tā mā de) = 'you fucking...' (your mother's). Lu Xun wrote a famous essay arguing this phrase is China's 'national curse.'
More in Chinese 🇨🇳
View all →去你的 (qù nǐ de)
“go to hell / fuck off / get lost”
Milder way to tell someone to go away.
他妈的
“fuck / damn / fucking hell”
The most common Chinese expletive. Literally 'his mother's' but used as all-purpose profanity.
操你妈
“motherfucker / fuck your mother”
The gravest insult in Mandarin. Directly attacks the target's mother sexually.
BT
“pervert / psycho / BT”
Abbreviation for 变态 (biàntài - pervert).
肏你妈 (cào nǐ mā)
“fuck your mother”
Sexual violation of the listener's mother.
狗东西 (gǒu dōng xi)
“son of a bitch / dog thing / cur”
Contemptible person; literally 'dog thing/object.'
操
“fuck”
The most vulgar verb meaning 'to fuck.' Often written with substitute character 操 (exercise) to avoid censorship.
鸭子 (yā zi)
“duck / gigolo / male prostitute”
Duck; slang for male prostitute.