<p>Yeah, it's a pun. When read </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>悪魔で執事ですから<br>
  akuma de shitsuji desu kara</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It means </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I'm a devil and a butler, you see.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Whereas, when read as the identical-sounding</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>飽くまで執事ですから<br>
  aku made shitsuji desu kara</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It means </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I'm a butler through and through, you see.</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>This pun (<em>aku made</em> vs. <em>akuma de</em>) is a relatively common one in Japanese. For an example of a second-order pun of this variety, see the omake at the end of episode 26 of Yowamushi Pedal:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/oplfT.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oplfTm.jpg" alt="I&#39;m a sheep through and through"></a></p>

<p>The fellow on the right was transformed from being a sheep to a (human) butler, and so instead of saying <em>aku made <strong>shitsuji</strong> desu kara</em> "I'm a butler through and through", he says <em>aku made <strong>hitsuji</strong> desu kara</em> "I'm a sheep through and through" (butler = <em>shitsuji</em>, sheep = <em>hitsuji</em>; cf. <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/q/14433/">What do the sheep dolls represent in Mayo Chiki?</a>). </p>

<hr>

<p>Additional note: the <code>aku</code> in the two examples are homophones that mean different things. The <code>aku</code> in my first example is <code>悪</code>, which means "evil". The <code>aku</code> in my second example is <code>飽く</code>, which is a verb meaning "to grow tired of" (you see its more common synonym <code>飽きる</code> = <code>akiru</code> more often).</p>

<p>The compound construction <code>aku made</code> (<code>飽くまで</code>) means "until I grow tired of ~" when viewed as two different words, and means "completely" or "thoroughly" when viewed as a fixed idiomatic compound (this latter usage is standard; analyzing it as a verb+<code>まで</code> is not).</p>

<p>The official English translation by Funimation aptly captures the meaning and magnitude of this pun by translating it as "You see, I'm merely one hell of a butler." This reflects both his demonic nature as well as his skills as a servant using a common English expression that has more or less the same meaning.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-08T10:41:16.097Z
Whats the literal meaning of "aku made"? I believe "aku" still means "evil", but its not a red flag
Jesvin Jose
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-08T10:45:07.457Z
@aitchnyu They're homophones that mean different things. The `aku` in my first example is `悪`, which means "evil". The `aku` in my second example is `飽く`, which is a verb meaning "to grow tired of". The compound construction `aku made` (`飽くまで`) means "until I grow tired of ~" when viewed as two different words, and means "completely" or "thoroughly" when viewed as a fixed idiomatic compound.
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-11T18:50:35.947Z
Now I notice "akumade" in all anime I watch, even when the subtitles are not faithful. Awesome answer!
Jesvin Jose
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-08T10:20:14.940Z
2015-09-29T19:47:46.070Z
2017-04-13T12:54:49.117Z
senshin
<p>To my ears, the Japanese means:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I am an akuma (demon), and a shitsuji (butler).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I guess it must have a pun meaning, too. On one occasion, a bad guy cried out "a-a-akuma?", but that's the exception: everybody seems cool after hearing it. How can Sebastian say this so casually?</p>

<japanese-language><black-butler>
How can Sebastian use "I am a butler and a devil" so casually?
# How can Sebastian use "I am a butler and a devil" so casually?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-09-08
To my ears, the Japanese means:

> I am an akuma (demon), and a shitsuji (butler).

I guess it must have a pun meaning, too. On one occasion, a bad guy cried out "a-a-akuma?", but that's the exception: everybody seems cool after hearing it. How can Sebastian say this so casually?
**Tags:** japanese-language black-butler
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2013-09-08. Score: 28 | Accepted answer
Yeah, it's a pun. When read

> 悪魔で執事ですから  
> akuma de shitsuji desu kara

It means

> I'm a devil and a butler, you see.

Whereas, when read as the identical-sounding

> 飽くまで執事ですから  
> aku made shitsuji desu kara

It means

> I'm a butler through and through, you see.

---

This pun (*aku made* vs. *akuma de*) is a relatively common one in Japanese. For an example of a second-order pun of this variety, see the omake at the end of episode 26 of Yowamushi Pedal:

[![I'm a sheep through and through](https://i.sstatic.net/oplfTm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/oplfT.jpg)

The fellow on the right was transformed from being a sheep to a (human) butler, and so instead of saying *aku made **shitsuji** desu kara* "I'm a butler through and through", he says *aku made **hitsuji** desu kara* "I'm a sheep through and through" (butler = *shitsuji*, sheep = *hitsuji*; cf. [What do the sheep dolls represent in Mayo Chiki?](https://anime.stackexchange.com/q/14433/)).

---

Additional note: the `aku` in the two examples are homophones that mean different things. The `aku` in my first example is `悪`, which means "evil". The `aku` in my second example is `飽く`, which is a verb meaning "to grow tired of" (you see its more common synonym `飽きる` = `akiru` more often).

The compound construction `aku made` (`飽くまで`) means "until I grow tired of ~" when viewed as two different words, and means "completely" or "thoroughly" when viewed as a fixed idiomatic compound (this latter usage is standard; analyzing it as a verb+`まで` is not).

The official English translation by Funimation aptly captures the meaning and magnitude of this pun by translating it as "You see, I'm merely one hell of a butler." This reflects both his demonic nature as well as his skills as a servant using a common English expression that has more or less the same meaning.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2013-09-08): Whats the literal meaning of "aku made"? I believe "aku" still means "evil", but its not a red flag  
> **username_1** (2013-09-08): @aitchnyu They're homophones that mean different things. The `aku` in my first example is `悪`, which means "evil". The `aku` in my second example is `飽く`, which is a verb meaning "to grow tired of". The compound construction `aku made` (`飽くまで`) means "until I grow tired of ~" when viewed as two different words, and means "completely" or "thoroughly" when viewed as a fixed idiomatic compound.  
> **username_0** (2015-02-11): Now I notice "akumade" in all anime I watch, even when the subtitles are not faithful. Awesome answer!  
---
