Japanese word

ばか

Pronunciation

Romajibaka

Meaning

  • nounidiot

Example

私はばかではありません。watashi wa ba ka de wa a ri ma se n

I am not an idiot.

Illustration for ばか (idiot)

More examples

みんなの前で自分をばかだと言う必要はありません。mi n na no mae de ji bun o ba ka da to i u hitsu yō wa a ri ma se n

You do not need to call yourself an idiot in front of everyone.

Core concept

It labels someone as foolish or unreasonable, usually expressing criticism rather than a neutral description.

Common phrases

  • ばかにするba ka ni su ru

    make fun of

  • ばかに見えるba ka ni mi e ru

    look foolish

Similar words

あほaho: A casual term for a foolish person, often used among friends or as an insult.
間抜けmanuke: A person who lacks good judgment or misses things that seem obvious.

Definition in Japanese

愚かな人や、分別のない人を軽んじて指す語。oro ka na hito ya bun betsu no na i hito o karo n ji te sa su go

Word origin

The etymology of ばか (baka, "fool") is not certain, while the kanji form 馬鹿 (baka, "fool") is a conventional spelling whose characters do not explain the word's meaning.

Usage tips

  • English subtitles may translate ばか (baka) differently according to context, since the word can sound joking among friends but insulting in an argument.

Opposites

  • 賢いkashikoismarti-adjective

Related words

Word lists with this word