Chinese Swear Words & InsultsUnderstand them, know how strong they are — and what to say instead
You will hear these in films, games, on the street and online. This guide explains what each word means and, most importantly, how strong it is — from teasing a friend to words that start fights. We recommend knowing them, not using them. Mild words have native audio; the vulgar ones do not.
Level 1 — Mild: teasing between friends Mild
Used jokingly among friends and couples. Said to a stranger or your boss they are still rude.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 笨蛋 | bèndàn | Meaning idiot, dummy | Note Literally "stupid egg". Very common, often affectionate between couples. |
| 傻瓜 | shǎguā | Meaning silly, fool | Note Literally "silly melon". Often affectionate. |
| 小气鬼 | xiǎoqìguǐ | Meaning cheapskate | Note 鬼 (ghost) is added to many teasing words. |
| 胆小鬼 | dǎnxiǎoguǐ | Meaning coward, scaredy-cat | Note |
| 坏蛋 | huàidàn | Meaning bad guy, rascal | Note Literally "bad egg". Mild; often playful. |
| 讨厌 | tǎoyàn | Meaning you're so annoying! | Note Said playfully, especially by women to a partner or friend. |
Level 2 — Rude: real insults Rude
These are insults. Expect an argument if you say them to someone's face.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 白痴 | báichī | Meaning idiot, moron | Note Much stronger than 笨蛋 — it can really offend, even between friends. |
| 神经病 | shénjīngbìng | Meaning you're crazy, nutcase | Note Means mentally unstable. Friends say it jokingly, but it can be quite rude. |
| 混蛋 | hùndàn | Meaning bastard, jerk | Note |
| 王八蛋 | wángbādàn | Meaning son of a bitch, bastard | Note Literally "turtle egg". 王八 (turtle) suggests a man whose wife is unfaithful. |
| 滚！ | Gǔn! | Meaning Get lost! Get out! | Note 滚蛋 (gǔndàn) is the stronger version. |
| 废物 | fèiwu | Meaning useless, good-for-nothing | Note |
| 不要脸 | bú yào liǎn | Meaning shameless | Note Literally "doesn't want face". 真不要脸！ = How shameless! |
| 脑残 | nǎocán | Meaning brain-dead, moron | Note An online insult, now spoken too. |
| 二百五 | èrbǎiwǔ | Meaning idiot, half-wit | Note Literally "250". Nobody agrees where it comes from, but everyone knows it means stupid. |
| 你有病吧？ | Nǐ yǒu bìng ba? | Meaning Are you crazy? | Note Literally "Are you sick?" |
| 去死吧！ | Qù sǐ ba! | Meaning Drop dead! Go to hell! | Note |
Level 3 — Vulgar: know them, never use them Vulgar
The strongest words in Chinese. Most are built on sex or someone's mother. Learn to recognise them; do not say them. These have no audio on purpose.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他妈的 | tāmāde | Meaning damn it, f***ing | Note Literally "his mother's". The everyday vulgar swear word, used as an exclamation or intensifier. |
| 卧槽 | wòcáo | Meaning WTF, holy sh*t | Note A written disguise of 我操 (wǒ cào). Hugely common online and among young people as an exclamation of surprise. |
| 傻逼 | shǎbī | Meaning f***ing idiot | Note Very offensive. Online it is written SB. |
| 牛逼 | niúbī | Meaning awesome, badass | Note Vulgar but positive praise. Online it is written NB or 牛批. |
| 操你妈 | cào nǐ mā | Meaning f*** your mother | Note The strongest insult. Never use it. |
| 草泥马 | cǎonímǎ | Meaning "grass mud horse" — an online pun on the line above | Note Turned into an alpaca meme around 2009 to get past filters. |
| 贱人 | jiànrén | Meaning despicable person; bitch | Note Very insulting; often aimed at women. |
| 我操 | wǒ cào | Meaning f***! (exclamation) | Note The vulgar original of 卧槽. |
| 我靠 | wǒ kào | Meaning damn! sh*t! | Note A softened version of 我操; still crude. |
| 妈的 | māde | Meaning damn it | Note Short form of 他妈的, a little lighter but very common. |
| 婊子 | biǎozi | Meaning whore, bitch | Note Extremely insulting. |
| 装逼 | zhuāngbī | Meaning to show off, to act cool (vulgar) | Note Often written 装B. |
| 屌丝 | diǎosī | Meaning loser | Note A vulgar word that young men used about themselves as a joke in the 2010s. |
Swear words in online code Vulgar
Online, rude words are often written with pinyin initials or numbers to get past filters.
| Term | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term SB | 傻逼 | shǎbī | Meaning f***ing idiot | Note |
| Term NB | 牛逼 | niúbī | Meaning awesome (vulgar) | Note |
| Term TMD | 他妈的 | tāmāde | Meaning damn it | Note |
| Term CNM | 操你妈 | cào nǐ mā | Meaning f*** your mother | Note |
| Term NMSL | 你妈死了 | nǐ mā sǐ le | Meaning "your mother is dead" — extremely offensive | Note |
| Term 2B | 二逼 | èrbī | Meaning idiot (vulgar) | Note |
Words for foreigners
As a foreigner you may hear these about yourself.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 老外 | lǎowài | Meaning foreigner | Note Casual and usually not meant as an insult, though some foreigners dislike it. |
| 鬼佬 | guǐlǎo | Meaning gweilo — Western man (Cantonese) | Note Literally "ghost guy". Used jokingly in Hong Kong, but can be rude. |
| 洋鬼子 | yángguǐzi | Meaning foreign devil | Note Old-fashioned and offensive. |
What to say instead: safe ways to vent
Annoyed? These express it without insulting anyone.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 气死我了！ | Qì sǐ wǒ le! | Meaning I'm so angry! | Note Literally "it angers me to death". |
| 烦死了！ | Fán sǐ le! | Meaning So annoying! | Note |
| 无语 | wúyǔ | Meaning speechless (lost for words) | Note The perfect reaction to something ridiculous. |
| 糟糕！ | Zāogāo! | Meaning Oh no! Damn! | Note |
| 倒霉 | dǎoméi | Meaning bad luck, what bad luck | Note |
| 我的天！ | Wǒ de tiān! | Meaning Oh my God! | Note |
Also read: Chinese slang and internet words.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common swear word in Chinese?
他妈的 (tāmāde), literally "his mother's", used like "damn" or "f***ing". Online it is written TMD.
What does 250 mean in Chinese?
二百五 (èrbǎiwǔ) means an idiot or half-wit. For the same reason, avoid prices or gifts of 250.
Why are so many Chinese insults "eggs"?
蛋 (egg) turns a word into an insult: 笨蛋 (stupid egg), 混蛋 (bastard), 坏蛋 (bad guy), 王八蛋 (turtle egg). 笨蛋 is the mildest and can even be affectionate.
Is 老外 (laowai) offensive?
Usually not — it is the casual word for a foreigner, like "foreigner" said in a friendly tone. Some foreigners still dislike it.