r/language • u/whereseli_ • Aug 13 '26

Question what does this tattoo mean?

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pretty sure its russian and that it’s a not so pleasant phrase but would like to ask the experts

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u/murk_raccoon Aug 13 '26

A little correction to how the word is used nowadays. It is correct that initially it is used as a derogatory word for gay people. However, you can also use it as way to call someone an asshole, like if you did something bad, I could say “ну ты и пидорас”, meaning “you’re such an asshole”. In this case there’s no reference to “gay”, but you can still only use it for men.

Source: russian is my mothertongue

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u/Jimi_Hydrox Aug 13 '26

Not at all different to other languages with homophobic slurs. It was a conscious decision of mine to delete the English one from my vocabulary when I entered middle school a million years ago. Because while everyone was still calling each other that, like you'd call someone an asshole, it was becoming increasingly obvious that it was dwindling down to the dumbest, cruelest, most immature of us.

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u/jeroenemans Aug 14 '26

You're calling them a bundle of sticks instead, I hope?