In this episode, I break down how I read Japanese “cuss words and insults”—from Level 1 venting (kuso, urusai), to Level 2 personal shots (baka, omae), to the Level 3 red-flag stuff (temee, kisama, kutabare, shine) that tells you it’s time to quietly walk away. I talk about why Japanese swearing works so differently from English, how "Kotodama" and politeness levels shape everything, why anime subtitles completely scramble your radar, and why some “rude” words between friends are actually affection. I also draw a clear line around the truly heavy discrimination-based slurs—things tied to history, disability, and minorities—that aren’t “swear words” so much as hate speech and not something anyone should learn as a joke. By the end, you’ll know how I tell the difference between someone venting, someone mad at others, someone ready to swing, and someone calling you 'baka' as a term of endearment. If you’ve got your own stories, hit me up in the comments, on Instagram or Threads @xqs_podcast, or through the contact form on xqspodcast.com.

Official Website: https://www.xqsumimasen.com (https://www.xqspodcast.com)

Follow Us:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xqs_podcast

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@xqs_podcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-xq-sumimasen-podcast/id6480508928

---

🎧 Support the podcast (via Stripe secure checkout):

https://buy.stripe.com/14AdR8dC08dbaPZdkQ1RC0c

Independent show. No sponsors. No affiliate links (…yet).

Until next time—excuse-me-massen, and... See ya!