お前 (omae)
What does お前 (omae) mean? お前 (omae) is a Japanese severe that translates to “you / hey you / bastard” in English.
Literal Translation
honorable front (ironic)
Meaning & Usage
"you / hey you / bastard"
Originally respectful ('honorable one before me'), now used to address inferiors or intimate peers.
Examples in the Wild
お前が言うな (Omae ga iu na - Look who's talking / You have no say)
When to Use It
Context
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- Only among very close friends who share this register
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Public spaces — will cause genuine offense
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Acceptable only between close male friends or from superior to subordinate. Using with strangers, superiors, or women is highly offensive. In anime, used constantly; in real life, use signals either intimacy or aggression. Never use in business settings.
More in Japanese 🇯🇵
View all →どけ (doke)
“get out of the way / move it / fuck off”
Rude imperative of 'doku' (to move aside).
まんこ (manko)
“cunt / pussy”
Crude slang for female genitalia.
スケベ (sukebe)
“lech / pervert / horny bastard”
Person with excessive sexual interest, lecherous person.
ちんこ (chinko) / ちんぽ (chinpo)
“dick / cock”
Childish to vulgar slang for penis. 'Chinchin' is childish; 'chinpo' is vulgar.
クズ (kuzu)
“trash / scum / piece of shit”
Denotes moral worthlessness. 'Kuzu otoko' (scum man) describes cheating, lying men.
嘘つき (usotsuki)
“liar”
Person who tells lies.
野郎 (yarou)
“bastard / jerk / guy (derogatory)”
Originally meant 'fellow' or 'guy,' now derogatory masculine suffix.
ばばあ (babaa) / じじい (jijii)
“old hag / old fart / geezer”
Derogatory terms for elderly women (babaa) and men (jijii).