بدمعاش (Badmaash)
What does بدمعاش (Badmaash) mean? بدمعاش (Badmaash) is a Dari moderate that translates to “thug / crook / scoundrel” in English.
Literal Translation
bad livelihood / one who earns dishonestly
Meaning & Usage
"thug / crook / scoundrel"
Originally from the compound 'bad' (bad) + 'ma'ash' (livelihood), describing someone who earns their living through dishonest or criminal means. In modern usage it covers everything from petty thieves to neighborhood bullies to men who catcall women in the bazaar.
Examples in the Wild
از اون بدمعاش دور باش، کار خراب میکنه. (Az oon badmaash door bash, kaar kharab mekuna. - Stay away from that thug, he'll cause trouble.) — Parental warning.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
This word is shared across the entire South and Central Asian linguistic sphere — you'll hear it in Hindi, Urdu, Pashto, and Dari with nearly identical meaning. In Kabul street slang, 'bacha-ye badmaash' (badmaash's kid) describes the type of young man who hangs around on street corners, picks fights, and makes life difficult for shopkeepers. It's not as severe as actual criminal accusations — more like a character judgment that someone is generally no good.
More in Dari 🇦🇫
View all →خواهرتو گایدم (Khwahareto gaydam)
“I fucked your sister”
Declaring sexual intercourse with the target's sister.
لعنتی (Lanati)
“damn / goddamn / cursed”
Someone upon whom God's curse (la'nat) has fallen. In everyday use it functions exactly like the English 'damn' — versatile, moderate, and everywhere. 'In telefon-e lanati' (this damn phone) is something every Kabuli says daily. But in its religious sense, being cursed by God is eternal damnation.
بد کاره (Bad kara)
“whore / sex worker (euphemism)”
The Afghan euphemism for a sex worker — someone whose 'work' (kaar) is 'bad.' It's the word people use when they want to accuse a woman of prostitution without using the explicit 'jenda' (whore) or the formal 'fahisha.' The euphemistic nature actually makes it more common in everyday speech, because it's considered less vulgar to say.
دیوث (Dayus)
“cuck / shameless bastard”
A man who is indifferent to his wife's adultery, or actively pimps her out.
پفیوز (Pofyooz)
“limp dick / useless bastard”
An old word for a useless, pathetic man with no backbone.
تف به رویت (Tof ba royet)
“I spit in your face / you disgust me”
The verbal equivalent of spitting in someone's face — the ultimate gesture of contempt and disgust. In many cultures spitting expresses disgust, but in Afghan culture it's particularly loaded because the face (roo) represents honor, dignity, and public reputation. Spitting on someone's face destroys their roo permanently.
نامرد (Namard)
“coward / traitor / backstabber”
This is one of the most loaded words in Afghan masculinity. It doesn't just mean coward — it means someone who broke a promise, betrayed a trust, or abandoned someone in need. A namard is someone whose word means nothing. In a culture built on oral agreements and personal honor, this can end friendships and start blood feuds.
الاغ (Olagh)
“jackass / stubborn fool”
A second word for donkey — used interchangeably with 'khar' but with a slightly more literary, formal register. It's the donkey-insult you'd hear from an educated person rather than a street vendor. Same meaning: stupid, stubborn, and unable to learn. Afghan Dari borrowed 'olagh' from Turkish, while 'khar' is pure Persian.