Japanese · Rudeness by Register
くれ
kure
KOO-reh · /kɯɾe/
Gimme (blunt demand)
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"give (me) — bare imperative"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Same lesson, gentler slope: kure is "gimme," the stripped-down demand form of "please give me." The politeness staircase runs kure → kudasai → itadakemasu ka, and choosing the bottom step with the wrong person is quietly rude. Fine barked between buddies ("shio kure" — pass the salt); jarring aimed at a stranger or anyone senior, where you'd want kudasai at minimum.
Heard in the wild
ちょっとそれ取ってくれ。
Hey, grab me that, would you.
Where it lands
Nationwide; casual/male-leaning
Quick answers
- What does "くれ" mean?
- In Japanese, "くれ" means "Gimme (blunt demand)". Literally it's "give (me) — bare imperative". Same lesson, gentler slope: kure is "gimme," the stripped-down demand form of "please give me." The politeness staircase runs kure → kudasai → itadakemasu ka, and choosing the bottom step with the wrong person is quietly rude. Fine barked between buddies ("shio kure" — pass the salt); jarring aimed at a stranger or anyone senior, where you'd want kudasai at minimum.
- Is "くれ" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "くれ"?
- Say it "KOO-reh" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: kɯɾe.
Related in Japanese
お前 omae o-MAH-eh You (blunt/rough — insulting to the wrong person) タメ口 tameguchi tah-meh-GOO-chee Talking casually to someone you owe formality 〜やがる -yagaru yah-GAH-roo ...the bastard (verb ending that spits contempt) しろ shiro SHEE-ro Do it. (naked command — rude by grammar alone) てめえ temee teh-MEH You bastard / you son of a bitch (aggressive 'you') 貴様 kisama kee-SAH-mah You wretch / you scum (archaic-hostile 'you')
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