# Which language has the most swear words?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-language-has-the-most-swear-words/88656>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 21, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-language-has-the-most-swear-words/88656 "2001-10-21T01:54:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-language-has-the-most-swear-words/88656/41 "2013-08-22T06:02:35Z")

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> [@FisherQueen](#):
>
> Do other languages stay with our triumvirate of cursing themes (religion, scatology, sex), or are there other themes for their profanity?

Thai profanity never has religious theme. Sex-themed words (equivalents of whore, son-of-a-bitch, motherfucker, cunt-face) are commonly heard, _but only in times of great anger_.

Milder cusswords in very common use (though still considered off-limits to foreigners) are:  
ฉิบหาย - /chip hai/ = ruinous, very  
ไอ้เหี้ย - /ai hia/ = water monitor lizard

Animal names are in common use as cuss words, e.g. the word for rhinoceros or the [water monitor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_monitor).  
(Water monitors are commonly seen where I live; many call them by a word that translates as “creature of silver and gold” to avoid the taboo name.)

There are euphemisms in use for ‘lie, liar’ to avoid the term  
ตอแหล - /tor lae/ = ‘lie, liar’  
which is a fighting word.

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