<p>One version is that: in the old times (about the Warring States Period), people said something like “你妈是贱人” ("your mom is a bitch") as a swear word. But this being a whole sentence made it difficult to insert into other sentences to express the emotion. </p>

<p>Thus, after a long time, "your" became "his" and "is a bitch" went missing, making it "他妈的". As a result, just as the word "f...", it's very convenient to put into another sentence like "你他妈的干啥？", which can be translated to "what the f... are you doing?".</p>

<p>You can check it out in this site if you can understand Chinese: <a href="http://iask.sina.com.cn/b/8788863.html">“他妈的” 作为脏话的起源是什么？</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T15:22:55.927Z
If "your mom is a b," then you're an sob. http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/150/how-offensive-is-%E4%BB%96%E5%A6%88%E7%9A%84/
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-24T03:01:52.127Z
2011-12-29T08:58:14.647Z
2011-12-29T08:58:14.647Z
xiecheng127
<p>Another theory is: '他妈的' is the omission of 'a verb that meaning f**k' + '他妈的'. </p>

<p>I believe this is true, because sometimes you can still hear the full version (please forgive me): 操他妈的, 干他妈的, 日他妈的, etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-28T07:36:20.877Z
How to pronounce the “的” part? Is it "Ta Ma De" or "Ta Ma Di" ?
null
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-16T08:48:04.833Z
I've never seen the character 日 (sun) used to mean "sex". I guess this is worth a question of it's own?
Matthew Rudy 马泰
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-23T09:29:50.407Z
@MatthewRudy马泰 Is it possible that you have seen such usage of '日' without realizing it? :) The word is usually just an expletive and does not add any real meaning.
Betty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-12T10:10:12.367Z
2012-04-12T10:10:12.367Z
Betty
<p>Another version which I have heard (and many would have as well) and is line with many popular variations in dialects, is that it is simply a contraction of his mother's (private parts). Omission of the latter is done either out of laziness or an attempt to make it sound less rude.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-29T12:36:23.503Z
2011-12-29T12:36:23.503Z
prusswan
<p>I believe the full version is fxck（肏、日、干、嬲，etc.）+他妈的+屄（cxnt）.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-29T13:44:32.380Z
Hello hmm. Welcome to CL&U. What is fxck and cxnt? Can you expand on your answer?
Alenanno
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-29T14:37:49.580Z
@Alenanno replace 'x' with 'u' and you'll get the original words.
dusan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-29T13:36:07.160Z
2012-04-29T13:36:07.160Z
hmm
<p>I've seen mention of this word a few time. In English it is clear how certain words became swear words; f..., sh.. and damn all have very strong meanings in their literal sense; the former two being vulgar references to bodily functions and the last having to do with Hell.</p>

<p>How in the world did "他妈的" become a swearing? "His mother's...!" doesn't seem like swearing to me.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-21T22:49:22.910Z
It reminds me of "yo momma so fat..." jokes :D
Petruza
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-22T00:54:48.540Z
This might clear up some of your questions: http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/150/how-offensive-is-%E4%BB%96%E5%A6%88%E7%9A%84/
Krazer
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-22T01:05:37.263Z
Ah, yes, the answers by Krazer and Tom Au.
Nate Glenn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-22T14:30:13.710Z
Interestingly, there's the same swearing in French - "ta mère" ("your mother"), which means "f.. off".
laurent
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-27T08:12:44.380Z
There is a wiki page for this :- http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E4%BB%96%E5%A6%88%E7%9A%84
ajreal
<etymology>
Etymology of 他妈的
# Etymology of 他妈的

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-12-21)

I've seen mention of this word a few time. In English it is clear how certain words became swear words; f..., sh.. and damn all have very strong meanings in their literal sense; the former two being vulgar references to bodily functions and the last having to do with Hell.

How in the world did "他妈的" become a swearing? "His mother's...!" doesn't seem like swearing to me.

**Tags:** etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It reminds me of "yo momma so fat..." jokes :D  
> **username_2**: This might clear up some of your questions: http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/150/how-offensive-is-%E4%BB%96%E5%A6%88%E7%9A%84/  
> **username_0**: Ah, yes, the answers by username_2 and username_6.  
> **username_3**: Interestingly, there's the same swearing in French - "ta mère" ("your mother"), which means "f.. off".  
> **username_4**: There is a wiki page for this :- http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E4%BB%96%E5%A6%88%E7%9A%84  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2012-04-12. Score: 6

Another theory is: '他妈的' is the omission of 'a verb that meaning f\*\*k' + '他妈的'.

I believe this is true, because sometimes you can still hear the full version (please forgive me): 操他妈的, 干他妈的, 日他妈的, etc.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: I've never seen the character 日 (sun) used to mean "sex". I guess this is worth a question of it's own?  
> **username_7**: @username_9 Is it possible that you have seen such usage of '日' without realizing it? :) The word is usually just an expletive and does not add any real meaning.  
> **username_8**: How to pronounce the “的” part? Is it "Ta Ma De" or "Ta Ma Di" ?  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2011-12-24. Score: 5

One version is that: in the old times (about the Warring States Period), people said something like “你妈是贱人” ("your mom is a bitch") as a swear word. But this being a whole sentence made it difficult to insert into other sentences to express the emotion.

Thus, after a long time, "your" became "his" and "is a bitch" went missing, making it "他妈的". As a result, just as the word "f...", it's very convenient to put into another sentence like "你他妈的干啥？", which can be translated to "what the f... are you doing?".

You can check it out in this site if you can understand Chinese: [“他妈的” 作为脏话的起源是什么？](http://iask.sina.com.cn/b/8788863.html)

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: If "your mom is a b," then you're an sob. http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/150/how-offensive-is-%E4%BB%96%E5%A6%88%E7%9A%84/  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2011-12-29. Score: 2

Another version which I have heard (and many would have as well) and is line with many popular variations in dialects, is that it is simply a contraction of his mother's (private parts). Omission of the latter is done either out of laziness or an attempt to make it sound less rude.


---

### Answer by username_11 on 2012-04-29. Score: 2

I believe the full version is fxck（肏、日、干、嬲，etc.）+他妈的+屄（cxnt）.

> **Comments:**
> **username_12**: Hello hmm. Welcome to CL&U. What is fxck and cxnt? Can you expand on your answer?  
> **username_13**: @username_12 replace 'x' with 'u' and you'll get the original words.  

---

