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Japanese · Insults

クソ野郎

kuso-yarō

KOO-so yah-ROH · /kɯ̥so jaɾoː/

Piece of shit / shitty bastard

3/5 Watch your audience

genuinely rude; friends only, never at work

Literally

"shit bastard"

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

How to use it

"Shit-guy" — aimed at someone who genuinely wronged you, not tossed off lightly. Common in movies, manga, and heated arguments; a real person saying it to your face means the situation has gone bad. The -yarō suffix is the productive engine here: attach it to almost any insult (chikushō-yarō, hentai-yarō) to escalate.

Heard in the wild

あのクソ野郎、金持ち逃げしやがった。

That piece of shit ran off with the money.

Where it lands

Nationwide; confrontational

Quick answers

What does "クソ野郎" mean?
In Japanese, "クソ野郎" means "Piece of shit / shitty bastard". Literally it's "shit bastard". "Shit-guy" — aimed at someone who genuinely wronged you, not tossed off lightly. Common in movies, manga, and heated arguments; a real person saying it to your face means the situation has gone bad. The -yarō suffix is the productive engine here: attach it to almost any insult (chikushō-yarō, hentai-yarō) to escalate.
Is "クソ野郎" offensive?
It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
How do you pronounce "クソ野郎"?
Say it "KOO-so yah-ROH" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: kɯ̥so jaɾoː.

Related in Japanese

ばか baka BAH-kah Idiot / dummy / stupid あほ aho AH-ho Idiot / dummy (Kansai flavor — often affectionate) 馬鹿野郎 baka-yarō BAH-kah yah-ROH You stupid bastard / you goddamn idiot この野郎 kono-yarō KO-no yah-ROH Why you...! / you little...! ブス busu BOO-soo Ugly woman / dog デブ debu DEH-boo Fatty / fat-ass

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Screw you".

how to say "Screw you" →

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