考背

simpl. and trad.
考背

Mandarin

Etymology

• The Mandarin pronunciation of these two characters approximates the sound of the original Min Nan word: khàu-pē (哭父), lit. to mourn the death of one's father; the phrase is also a crude way to curse someone (i.e. to hope that a person is placed in the position of having to mourn the loss of a parent).

Interjection

考背 (traditional and simplified, Pinyin kǎobèi)

1. (Taiwan) May your parents rot!
   • 1965: Pai Hsien-yung, Taipei People, A Sea of Blood-red Azaleas

     Traditional Chinese

     一面跑她一面揉著她的膀子，跑到老遠她才回過頭來，朝著王雄吐了一泡口沫罵道：「考背！」

     Simplified Chinese

     一面跑她一面揉着她的膀子，跑到老远她才回过头来，朝着王雄吐了一泡口沫骂道：「考背！」

     Translation

     Rubbing her shoulders as she ran, she ran some distance before turning around, then faced toward Wang Hsiung and spat. "May your parents rot!" she cursed.

Usage notes

• The characters are only used for their associated pronunciations. The original meanings of the characters are ignored in this case.