Comment on What's the most offensive word I can use that isn't a slur?
LettyWhiterock@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
手前
An incredibly vulgar way of saying “you” in Japanese.
Comment on What's the most offensive word I can use that isn't a slur?
LettyWhiterock@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
手前
An incredibly vulgar way of saying “you” in Japanese.
daggermoon@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
What makes it vulgar, just curious?
LettyWhiterock@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I’m a novice when it comes to the language as a heads up. But my understanding is that generally most of these incredibly vulgar ways of saying “you” came about because they were originally actually respectful ways of referring to someone. But as time passed, people began using them ironically. So a term that was originally respectfully used to refer to someone of higher status is now only used if you’re basically cursing someone out.
Japanese doesn’t really have swear words, it’s mostly just words that are incredibly disrespectful or otherwise inappropriate for certain context.
There’s also 貴様 (kisama) which is basically so comically rude because, to my understanding, saying it implies everyone is inferior to you by default.
fodor@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
The short answer is, “because history”. Like most words, although this often feels like a non-answer.