<p>These days a single 草 (lightened pronunciation of the taboo 操) suffices, perfectly, as a non-offensive variant of its origin.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Oh, damn it! → 哦，草</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There's a reason the emoji  prevails in Chinese online communities, like this Telegram sticker:</p>
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/IGRrv.png" alt="" /></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-20T12:47:30.847Z
Isn't 草 closer to fxxk?
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-20T13:50:40.247Z
@dan As I said, the meaning of "to f\*\*k" (taboo) originated from 操 which still keeps it. On the other hand, 草 has since evolved into a more general, non-offensive interjection. While it's still possible to use 草 for that meaning, it's rarely seen nowadays.
iBug
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-09T08:51:44.350Z
@iBug Precisely, the original word should be 肏, while the 槽 in 卧槽，操 and 草（艹）are all indirect substitutions.
sicheng mao
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-09T09:16:22.927Z
maybe 草 is closer to *Darn it!* as they both avoid actually saying the word while express the feeling nevertheless.
Li Wang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-19T19:34:31.890Z
2022-07-19T19:34:31.890Z
iBug
<p>Google translate gives:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>该死的</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Which is quite close and sounds close to the actual meaning. <a href="https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-chinese/damn-it-" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Collins dictionary</a> gives:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>该(該)死！ (Gāisǐ!)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-19T11:09:43.573Z
2022-07-19T11:09:43.573Z
DialFrost
<p>My dictionary interprets it as 该死(的)；可恶(的).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-19T13:27:07.613Z
2022-07-19T13:27:07.613Z
r13
<p>Local Chinese here, living in Foshan, Guangdong.</p>
<p>Popularized across Chinese social medias like Douyin 抖音, WeChat 微信 and QQ, the forms of &quot;Damn It!&quot; I have seen are:</p>
<ul>
<li>妈的！</li>
<li>奶奶的！</li>
<li>卧槽！</li>
<li>槽！</li>
</ul>
<p>There are many uses to these words, most of them being vulgar but widely used in community (Don't use these words in formal occasions)</p>
<p>Usually we only use 妈的 and 奶奶的 when angry, and 卧槽 and 槽 can not only be used to express anger but also express emotions of surprise, happiness, anything else really, it really depends on the tone and punctuation used. e.g:</p>
<ul>
<li>卧槽？ Questioning, Curious</li>
<li>卧槽！? Surprised</li>
<li>卧槽... Shocked</li>
</ul>
<p>槽, or other forms of it (操，草，艹, same pronounciations) can be used as 卧槽</p>
<p>In Guangdong the Cantonese sounds like 丢 but third tone.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-07T12:15:21.013Z
2022-08-07T12:15:21.013Z
off oof
<p>I would translate &quot;damn it!&quot; to &quot;见鬼!&quot;. &quot;见鬼&quot; is a mildly vulgar expression, in which &quot;见&quot; is &quot;see&quot; and &quot;鬼&quot; is &quot;ghost&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-22T02:59:48.797Z
Yes, if you really did 见鬼, it is very unlikely you would exclaim 草!!!, you would probably scream 唵嘛呢叭咪吽!!!!!!!!!!!!!   :)
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-21T16:02:17.617Z
2022-07-21T16:02:17.617Z
Daisy
<p>Actually, it does translate into 该死. But nobody says that, people only say 妈的 or 草 which means f**k or sh!t.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-07T15:41:01.337Z
2022-08-07T15:41:01.337Z
Zyleyus
<p>Is there a Chinese equivalent of &quot;damn it&quot;? Most people use it when they are frustrated. <a href="https://context.reverso.net/translation/english-chinese/damn+it" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Reverso</a> gives:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>妈的</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But it sounds wrong for this context.</p>
<p><a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/168/how-do-i-say-damn-or-bloody-hell-in-chinese">Related</a></p>

<translation>
Is there a Chinese equivalent of "damn it"?
# Is there a Chinese equivalent of "damn it"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-19)

Is there a Chinese equivalent of "damn it"? Most people use it when they are frustrated. [Reverso](https://context.reverso.net/translation/english-chinese/damn+it) gives:

> 妈的

But it sounds wrong for this context.

[Related](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/168/how-do-i-say-damn-or-bloody-hell-in-chinese)

**Tags:** translation


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## 6 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-07-19. Score: 4

These days a single 草 (lightened pronunciation of the taboo 操) suffices, perfectly, as a non-offensive variant of its origin.

For example:

> Oh, damn it! → 哦，草

There's a reason the emoji prevails in Chinese online communities, like this Telegram sticker:

![](https://i.sstatic.net/IGRrv.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Isn't 草 closer to fxxk?  
> **username_1**: @username_2 As I said, the meaning of "to f\*\*k" (taboo) originated from 操 which still keeps it. On the other hand, 草 has since evolved into a more general, non-offensive interjection. While it's still possible to use 草 for that meaning, it's rarely seen nowadays.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 Precisely, the original word should be 肏, while the 槽 in 卧槽，操 and 草（艹）are all indirect substitutions.  
> **username_4**: maybe 草 is closer to *Darn it!* as they both avoid actually saying the word while express the feeling nevertheless.  

---

### Answer by username_0 on 2022-07-19. Score: 2

Google translate gives:

> 该死的

Which is quite close and sounds close to the actual meaning. [Collins dictionary](https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-chinese/damn-it-) gives:

> 该(該)死！ (Gāisǐ!)


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2022-07-19. Score: 2

My dictionary interprets it as 该死(的)；可恶(的).


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2022-08-07. Score: 1

Local Chinese here, living in Foshan, Guangdong.

Popularized across Chinese social medias like Douyin 抖音, WeChat 微信 and QQ, the forms of "Damn It!" I have seen are:

* 妈的！
* 奶奶的！
* 卧槽！
* 槽！

There are many uses to these words, most of them being vulgar but widely used in community (Don't use these words in formal occasions)

Usually we only use 妈的 and 奶奶的 when angry, and 卧槽 and 槽 can not only be used to express anger but also express emotions of surprise, happiness, anything else really, it really depends on the tone and punctuation used. e.g:

* 卧槽？ Questioning, Curious
* 卧槽！? Surprised
* 卧槽... Shocked

槽, or other forms of it (操，草，艹, same pronounciations) can be used as 卧槽

In Guangdong the Cantonese sounds like 丢 but third tone.


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2022-07-21. Score: 1

I would translate "damn it!" to "见鬼!". "见鬼" is a mildly vulgar expression, in which "见" is "see" and "鬼" is "ghost".

> **Comments:**
> **username_8**: Yes, if you really did 见鬼, it is very unlikely you would exclaim 草!!!, you would probably scream 唵嘛呢叭咪吽!!!!!!!!!!!!!   :)  

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### Answer by username_9 on 2022-08-07. Score: 0

Actually, it does translate into 该死. But nobody says that, people only say 妈的 or 草 which means f\*\*k or sh!t.


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