# How to say “fuck” in Chinese

> The mildest way to say “fuck” in Chinese is 天哪 (tiān na), “oh my god”. The strongest is 他妈的 (tā mā de), “f*cking hell (lit. his mom's)”. Here are all 5, ranked mild to strong, with pinyin and when to use each one.

Source: https://lanlanchinese.com/how-to-say/fuck-in-chinese (updated 2026-10-18)

1. **天哪** (tiān na) (strength 1/5): oh my god. Safe anywhere. Even with your mom.
   Heard in a real video: 天哪，那我们不是要发财了吗？ "Oh my! Then we're going to be rich!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OalfwdLF40&t=290s)
   Heard in a real video: 天哪，看，好生猛啊，太能甩了。 "Oh my, look, it's so lively, it really thrashes." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4obXe-mxqrc&t=186s)
2. **我去** (wǒ qù) (strength 2/5): damn, no way. Mild. Friends, games, bad news.
3. **我靠** (wǒ kào) (strength 3/5): holy sh*t. Everyday swearing. Not in front of teachers.
4. **卧槽** (wò cáo) (strength 4/5): WTF, f*ck. The internet's favourite. Friends only.
5. **他妈的** (tā mā de) (strength 5/5): f*cking hell (lit. his mom's). Never at work. Never with family.

---

From LanLan: Learn Chinese Lazily, an Android app for learning Mandarin from 1,500+ real Chinese videos with pinyin and English under every line: tap any word and it becomes a flashcard. Free on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lanlan.app