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 →傻逼
“dumbass / fucking idiot / stupid cunt”
Highly vulgar term combining stupidity with female genitalia. Extremely offensive.
肏你妈 (cào nǐ mā)
“fuck your mother”
Sexual violation of the listener's mother.
SB / 2B
“stupid cunt / dumbass”
Romanized abbreviation for 傻逼.
狗东西 (gǒu dōng xi)
“son of a bitch / dog thing / cur”
Contemptible person; literally 'dog thing/object.'
操你妈
“motherfucker / fuck your mother”
The gravest insult in Mandarin. Directly attacks the target's mother sexually.
操
“fuck”
The most vulgar verb meaning 'to fuck.' Often written with substitute character 操 (exercise) to avoid censorship.
草泥马 (cǎo ní mǎ) [euphemism]
“fuck your mother (euphemism)”
Homophonic substitution for 肏你妈 (fuck your mother).
鸭子 (yā zi)
“duck / gigolo / male prostitute”
Duck; slang for male prostitute.