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Italian · Insults

Testa di cazzo!

TESS-tah dee KAHT-tso · /ˈtɛs.ta di ˈkat.tso/

Dickhead / stupid asshole

4/5 Fighting words

aimed at a person, will start something

Literally

"Dickhead"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

Exactly what it looks like — a proper insult aimed to wound, not to tease. Reserve it for someone who's genuinely acted with malicious stupidity; deploy it lightly and you're picking a fight. The clipped "testa di c." shows up when someone wants the punch without fully saying it.

Heard in the wild

Guarda dove vai, testa di cazzo!

Watch where you're going, dickhead!

Where it lands

Universal across Italy

Quick answers

What does "Testa di cazzo!" mean?
In Italian, "Testa di cazzo!" means "Dickhead / stupid asshole". Literally it's "Dickhead". Exactly what it looks like — a proper insult aimed to wound, not to tease. Reserve it for someone who's genuinely acted with malicious stupidity; deploy it lightly and you're picking a fight. The clipped "testa di c." shows up when someone wants the punch without fully saying it.
Is "Testa di cazzo!" offensive?
Yes — very. It rates 4/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Fighting words). aimed at a person, will start something. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
How do you pronounce "Testa di cazzo!"?
Say it "TESS-tah dee KAHT-tso" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈtɛs.ta di ˈkat.tso.

Related in Italian

Vaffanculo! vah-fahn-KOO-lo Fuck off! / Go to hell! Stronzo! STRON-tso Asshole! / Bastard! Coglione! kol-YO-nay Idiot / dumbass / sucker Figlio di puttana! FEEL-yo dee poot-TAH-nah Son of a bitch! Cornuto! kor-NOO-to Cuckold — your partner is cheating on you Pezzo di merda! PET-tso dee MEHR-dah Piece of shit

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "You idiot".

how to say "You idiot" →

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