Japanese · Words You'll Hear But Must Never Say
めくら
mekura
meh-KOO-rah · /mekɯɾa/
Old slurs for disabled people (blind / deaf)
nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended
Literally
"blind (offensive)"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Listed for comprehension only. Mekura (blind) and its cousins tsunbo (deaf) and oshi (mute) are old, discriminatory words, all broadcast-banned; you'll only meet them in dated texts or as ugly insults. The neutral modern terms are me no fujiyū na hito (a person who is blind), mimi no fujiyū na hito, and so on. Never use the old words.
Heard in the wild
古い言い回しで、今は「目の不自由な方」と言う。
An archaic term; today one says 'a person who is blind.'
Where it lands
Nationwide; broadcast-banned
Quick answers
- What does "めくら" mean?
- In Japanese, "めくら" means "Old slurs for disabled people (blind / deaf)". Literally it's "blind (offensive)". Listed for comprehension only. Mekura (blind) and its cousins tsunbo (deaf) and oshi (mute) are old, discriminatory words, all broadcast-banned; you'll only meet them in dated texts or as ugly insults. The neutral modern terms are me no fujiyū na hito (a person who is blind), mimi no fujiyū na hito, and so on. Never use the old words.
- Is "めくら" offensive?
- Yes — very. It rates 5/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Do not deploy). nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
- How do you pronounce "めくら"?
- Say it "meh-KOO-rah" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: mekɯɾa.
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