Japanese · Rudeness by Register
タメ口
tameguchi
tah-meh-GOO-chee · /tameɡɯtɕi/
Talking casually to someone you owe formality
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"same-level mouth / equal talk"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The purest example that Japanese rudeness is structural, not lexical: tameguchi is plain casual speech — zero curse words — used with someone who outranks you. Drop the -masu endings and honorifics with your boss, a teacher, or an elder and you've been rude without saying a single "bad" word. "Tameguchi kiku na" (don't talk to me so casually) is a real rebuke. Register IS the profanity here.
Heard in the wild
先輩にタメ口はまずいって。
Talking to your senpai that casually is a bad idea.
Where it lands
Nationwide
Quick answers
- What does "タメ口" mean?
- In Japanese, "タメ口" means "Talking casually to someone you owe formality". Literally it's "same-level mouth / equal talk". The purest example that Japanese rudeness is structural, not lexical: tameguchi is plain casual speech — zero curse words — used with someone who outranks you. Drop the -masu endings and honorifics with your boss, a teacher, or an elder and you've been rude without saying a single "bad" word. "Tameguchi kiku na" (don't talk to me so casually) is a real rebuke. Register IS the profanity here.
- Is "タメ口" 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 "タメ口"?
- Say it "tah-meh-GOO-chee" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: tameɡɯtɕi.
Related in Japanese
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