口汚い

• Reading: くちぎたない
• Romaji: kuchigitanai
• Kanji breakdown: 口 (kuchi) — mouth; 汚 (gita/kitana) — dirty, filthy, impure
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.tɕi.ɡi.ta.na.i/

Meaning

Foul-mouthed; abusive; vulgar in speech. Describes a person or manner of speaking that uses crude, offensive, or insulting language.

An i-adjective formed from 口 (kuchi — mouth) and 汚い (kitanai — dirty, filthy). It specifically criticises the quality of someone's spoken language as crude or abusive. Used to describe habitual vulgarity rather than a single offensive remark. More literary or formal-critical in tone than the colloquial 汚い言葉を使う.

Examples

1. 彼は怒ると口汚い言葉を平気で使う。 When he gets angry, he doesn't hesitate to use foul language.
2. 口汚い批評家たちは作家の努力を一切認めなかった。 The foul-mouthed critics refused to acknowledge the author's efforts at all.
3. そんな口汚い言い方をしなくても、伝えたいことはわかる。 You don't have to be so vulgar about it—I understand what you're trying to say.

Usage Guide

Context: criticism, character description, literary narration

Tone: disapproving

Origin & History

Compound of 口 (kuchi — mouth) and 汚い (kitanai — dirty, impure). The metaphor of a dirty mouth as a source of morally impure speech is common across many world languages.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal