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Polish · Frustration & Fatalism

chujowy

khoo-YOH-vih · /xu.ˈjɔ.vɨ/

Shit-tier / terrible — the vulgar bottom of the quality scale.

3/5 Watch your audience

genuinely rude; friends only, never at work

Literally

"dick-like"

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

How to use it

The adjective of chuj, and the anchor of casual Polish's quality axis: chujowy (shit-tier) at one end, zajebisty (god-tier) at the other. "Chujowa robota" (shit job), "chujowo się czuję" (I feel like crap — the adverb covers moods too), "chujowo to wygląda" (this looks bad). Watch-your-audience 3, same register as its root. Poles will deliver whole product reviews on this one axis, and honestly, you'll rarely need more resolution.

Heard in the wild

Jedzenie drogie i chujowe, nie polecam.

The food's expensive and terrible — hard pass.

Where it lands

Poland (universal)

Quick answers

What does "chujowy" mean?
In Polish, "chujowy" means "Shit-tier / terrible — the vulgar bottom of the quality scale.". Literally it's "dick-like". The adjective of chuj, and the anchor of casual Polish's quality axis: chujowy (shit-tier) at one end, zajebisty (god-tier) at the other. "Chujowa robota" (shit job), "chujowo się czuję" (I feel like crap — the adverb covers moods too), "chujowo to wygląda" (this looks bad). Watch-your-audience 3, same register as its root. Poles will deliver whole product reviews on this one axis, and honestly, you'll rarely need more resolution.
Is "chujowy" 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 "chujowy"?
Say it "khoo-YOH-vih" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: xu.ˈjɔ.vɨ.

Related in Polish

cholera kho-LEH-rah Damn / darn it — the respectable person's curse. no weź! noh VESH Oh come on! / Give me a break! wkurwiony fkoor-VYOH-nih Pissed off / furious. kurwica koor-VEE-tsah Blind fury / a rage fit — 'mieć kurwicę' is to be seething. baran BAH-rahn Idiot / blockhead — the barnyard 'you idiot.' frajer FRY-ehr Sucker / mug / mark — someone who lets himself be played.

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