Foul language: Common swear words and phrases

💬 [去你的] is a fixed insult, not a literal motion phrase about going somewhere. You'll also hear the same pattern with other insults dropped in after [去].

🇹🇼 This is openly hostile and rude. In Taiwan it's the kind of thing used in fights, not casual teasing unless people are very close and clearly joking.

💬 [滾] literally means to roll, but in insults like [滾開] it means 'get out' or 'go away.' You can reuse [V + 開] for pushing something away or apart, as in [拿開] 'take it away.'

🇹🇼 Very aggressive in real life. Use it only if you mean to be confrontational.

💬 [閉嘴] is literally 'close your mouth,' the normal Chinese way to say 'shut up.' The same verb [閉] is used with other things that close, like [閉門] 'close the door.'

🇹🇼 Blunt and insulting unless used jokingly with close friends. Said to a stranger, it can easily start a conflict.

💬 [嗎] turns a statement into a yes/no question, so [你白癡嗎？] is literally 'Are you stupid?' You can reuse the frame with other descriptions, like [你累嗎？] or [你忙嗎？].

🇹🇼 This is a direct personal insult, not mild teasing by default. In Taiwan it sounds harsher than a plain English gloss like 'idiot?' might suggest.

🇹🇼 [媽的] is a very common swear in Taiwan, often used like 'damn' when frustrated, but it's still vulgar. You'll hear it a lot in media and everyday venting, though many people avoid saying it in polite company.

💬 [了] here adds the feeling that something has reached an extreme or unexpected point, not past tense. You'll hear the same exasperated pattern in things like [完了] or [糟了].

🇹🇼 This often sounds more like frustrated exclamation than a direct attack on someone. It's still coarse, but usually less personally aggressive than insulting a person directly.

🇹🇼 Calling a person [垃圾] is harsh and dehumanizing, stronger than just saying they're annoying or rude. In Taiwan this lands as a serious insult, not playful slang in most situations.

🇹🇼 [混蛋] is a strong insult but a bit less graphic than some family-based swears. In dramas and arguments it can sound old-school or dramatic depending on tone.

🇹🇼 [白目] is very Taiwan-specific and often means someone is tactless, clueless, or bad at reading the room, not just 'stupid.' People do use it jokingly, but it still criticizes someone's social sense.