<p>的 here doesn't mean target, it is functioning as a possessive marker that marks the subject before it possesses the object after it.</p>
<p>他妈的 literally means &quot; his mother's &quot; -- short for 'his mother's (<em>swearing word</em>)'</p>
<p>他妈的 is mostly used as an exclamation that expresses displeasure or anger  similar to 'damn it' in English</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-24T14:52:56.250Z
2020-12-24T14:52:56.250Z
Tang Ho
<p>Because &quot;mother&quot; is used for insult in Chinese.</p>
<p>Mandarin Examples of f-words:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>肏你妈 [cào nǐ mā] Fuck your mom</p>
<p>你妈屄 [nǐ mā bī] Your mom's cunt.</p>
<p>肏你妈的屄 [cào nǐ mā de bī] Fuck your mom's cunt</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Sometimes people just omit the f-words and use the &quot;mom&quot; only, such as</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你妈的  [nǐ mā de]  your mom's</p>
<p>他妈的  [tā mā de]  his mom's</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-17T01:07:27.337Z
2021-01-17T01:07:27.337Z
Victor
<p>Why 他妈的 means fuck</p>
<p>I just started learning Chinese and kinda understood why many combinations of character means that in English but here
ˋ<code>ˋ&lt;他&gt;&lt;妈&gt;&lt;的&gt;</code>ˋ<code> </code>ˋ<code>&lt;He&gt;&lt;mother&gt;&lt;target&gt;ˋ</code>ˋ</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-24T16:47:12.020Z
As in all cultures, the position / status / virtue of one's mother is of utmost importance as it's one's mother that gave us birth and therefore life itself. So, to swear / curse another person's mother is considered the epitome of insults and humiliation. In 他妈的, it is what is left unsaid but implied which forms the insulting part. It's something like "what the ....", (WTF)
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-25T12:13:53.987Z
It is puzzling because the fourth character is rarely uttered.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-17T03:24:42.737Z
Think of it like this, referring to another's mother disrespectfully is not good like swearing is not good similar to calling someone a mother-f*er.
Jeremy Scott Peters
<phrase>
Why 他妈的 means (swear word)
# Why 他妈的 means (swear word)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-24)

Why 他妈的 means fuck

I just started learning Chinese and kinda understood why many combinations of character means that in English but here
ˋ`ˋ<他><妈><的>`ˋˋ`<He><mother><target>ˋ`ˋ

**Tags:** phrase

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: As in all cultures, the position / status / virtue of one's mother is of utmost importance as it's one's mother that gave us birth and therefore life itself. So, to swear / curse another person's mother is considered the epitome of insults and humiliation. In 他妈的, it is what is left unsaid but implied which forms the insulting part. It's something like "what the ....", (WTF)  
> **username_2**: It is puzzling because the fourth character is rarely uttered.  
> **username_3**: Think of it like this, referring to another's mother disrespectfully is not good like swearing is not good similar to calling someone a mother-f*er.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-12-24. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

的 here doesn't mean target, it is functioning as a possessive marker that marks the subject before it possesses the object after it.

他妈的 literally means " his mother's " -- short for 'his mother's (*swearing word*)'

他妈的 is mostly used as an exclamation that expresses displeasure or anger similar to 'damn it' in English


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### Answer by username_5 on 2021-01-17. Score: 0

Because "mother" is used for insult in Chinese.

Mandarin Examples of f-words:

> 肏你妈 [cào nǐ mā] Fuck your mom
>
> 你妈屄 [nǐ mā bī] Your mom's cunt.
>
> 肏你妈的屄 [cào nǐ mā de bī] Fuck your mom's cunt

Sometimes people just omit the f-words and use the "mom" only, such as

> 你妈的 [nǐ mā de] your mom's
>
> 他妈的 [tā mā de] his mom's


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