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Turkish · Words You'll Hear But Must Never Say

Orospu çocuğu

oh-rohs-POO cho-joo-OO · /oɾosˈpu tʃodʒuˈːu/

Son of a bitch / son of a whore

5/5 Do not deploy

nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended

Literally

"Child of a whore"

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

How to use it

You'll hear this — in road rage, in furious arguments, roared across stadiums — but it is nuclear, because it attacks the target's mother, the single most dangerous axis in Turkish insult. This is a genuine call to violence; it has ended friendships and started brawls. We list it so you understand what's being said to or around you. Comprehend it; do not say it. Even among hardened friends it can cross a line the softer "şerefsiz" doesn't.

Heard in the wild

(a phrase you will hear in a serious street fight — recognize it, never use it)

Son of a whore — (recognize it; never say it)

Where it lands

Turkey-wide; comprehension-only for travelers

Quick answers

What does "Orospu çocuğu" mean?
In Turkish, "Orospu çocuğu" means "Son of a bitch / son of a whore". Literally it's "Child of a whore". You'll hear this — in road rage, in furious arguments, roared across stadiums — but it is nuclear, because it attacks the target's mother, the single most dangerous axis in Turkish insult. This is a genuine call to violence; it has ended friendships and started brawls. We list it so you understand what's being said to or around you. Comprehend it; do not say it. Even among hardened friends it can cross a line the softer "şerefsiz" doesn't.
Is "Orospu çocuğu" 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 "Orospu çocuğu"?
Say it "oh-rohs-POO cho-joo-OO" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: oɾosˈpu tʃodʒuˈːu.

Related in Turkish

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Screw you".

how to say "Screw you" →

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