29

In Portuguese, I find it funny that gato/gata could be someone attractive or a literal cat.

all 37 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] DioramaOfShit@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago
[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

In every country, all cops are pigs.

[-] Vanth@reddthat.com 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Most I can think of at the moment are derogatory.

A "dog" is a person pushing their horniness to inappropriate levels.

A "cow" is someone fat and slow/stupid.

A "shark" is a savvy business person who edges into taking advantage of people unethically.

A "snake" is a liar and a cheat. Sometimes slang for a penis.

Quiet, shy people are "mousy".

Someone who tattles to cops/authority is a "rat".

A "chick" is an old-timey term for a girl/woman that might get you slapped.

A "kitty" is a vagina and also may get you slapped depending on context.

Someone messy/dirty is a "pig". "Pig" might also be used for a man who is rude and pushing sexual innuendos onto women without their consent.

While to "go the whole hog" means to not hild back, to embrace doing a thing completely.

[-] hddsx@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

Why would chick get you slapped? Growing up that just meant girl. No connotations

[-] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago

It feels kinda like you're objectifying them. Really depends who you use it with though, like all words.

[-] Vanth@reddthat.com 2 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, I would advise using against using it today. Like, I said, old timey. Not as acceptable as it might have been in decades past.

I'm middle millennial and consider it flippant at best. Like "chick flicks" and "chick lit" are seen as less serious/valuable/artistic than media intended for men. "Hot chick" as a way to value/devalue a woman on looks alone.

[-] PhobosAnomaly@feddit.uk 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Go somewhere public and call a girl a chick, see what happens 😂

Seriously though, it's not the word that's the issue, it's the labelling of someone based on their gender. I can't speak for the bottom line as I don't appear to be a woman, but I'd start getting fucked off if a generic term was used to address me when I had a perfectly good name.

In the UK, an equivalent is "bird". Equally likely to get you booted in the balls.

[-] Maiq@lemy.lol 2 points 2 weeks ago

Bitch [a female dog], an unpleasant or disagreeable woman, a man or woman made submissive or subservient, the act of complaining and finally something causing you problems or complications in an annoying way.

[-] aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com 7 points 2 weeks ago

In english that’s a “fox”

[-] Kolanaki@pawb.social 6 points 2 weeks ago

Cougar.

It's either a type of big cat, or an older, attractive, single woman.

[-] hitmyspot@aussie.zone 8 points 2 weeks ago

Isn't cougar specifically older women that favour younger men.

[-] Kolanaki@pawb.social 5 points 2 weeks ago

I think so but I wasn't 100% sure if it's a requirement. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[-] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Someone who is a snake can't be trusted.

Of course the word bitch, a female dog.

[-] leaky_shower_thought@feddit.nl 5 points 2 weeks ago

monkey = not attractive, can also be foolish

gorilla = swole, ripped

crocodile = greedy

worm = of low social status

turtle = slow

cockroach = hard to kill

[-] Whirlygirl9@kbin.melroy.org 5 points 2 weeks ago

fox is older term for a good looking female. also a vixen is a term for a suductress.

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Cougar, older women attracted to younger men.

[-] Lemminary@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

A chicken hawk is an older gay man who pursuits younger men.

[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

In English? Lol what region? I have never heard this

[-] zomboi@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

uhh, « manger comme un cochon » is to eat like a pig. more idioms but i speak english better. « malin comme un singe » is to be very clever (« as a monkey »)

i’ve heard « serpent » for backstabber, or serpan since i’m learning haitian creole

[-] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago

Mongoose: humorous term for a man who is successful in social situations (for example with women).

Monkey: Clever or competent person, usually used when someone accomplishes something unexpected with a nuance of "how did you even do that".

Chick: Slang for boyfriend.

[-] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

In Norwegian, Grouse (Rype. Don't bother trying, you're definitely pronouncing it incorrectly) somehow became slang for an attractive woman. Not used that often anymore, though.

Caged owl (Burugle) is slang for an unattractive woman.

[-] Mothra@mander.xyz 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

In Spanish, gato is not necessarily attractive (though they usually are) but a cheap sex worker or a promiscuous seductress/tor.

Potro (colt) is an attractive young man
Yegua (mare) equivalent to bitch, an asshole woman
Vaca (cow) same as in English, could be used for someone overweight or dumb
Cerdo (pig) same as English, a filthy/fat person

Marmota and burro (marmot and donkey resp.) someone dumb

Vibora, buitre (snake, vulture resp.) toxic person
Sapo, bicho (frog, bug resp.) someone ugly
Mariposa (butterfly) allegedly or suspected to be gay

Those are the first ones to pop into my mind but I'm sure there's more

[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Wondering what region of Spanish this is. I'm mexican and I know some of them but have never heard of others.

[-] Takapapatapaka@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

"Chatte" (female cat) is the equivalent of pussy in english.

"Poulet" (chicken) is a cop. "Poulette" (hen) is a rather disrespectful word for a women.

"Gorille" (gorilla) is a tall muscular person.

"Cochon" (pig) is someone filthy, especially in the sexual sense. (can be used as an adjective, "films cochons" are porn films).

"Canard" (duck) can be a newspaper, or a mistake when playing music.

"Levrette" (female greyhound) is the name for the doggy style sexual position.

"Vache" (cow) can be either someone mean, either a cop. The second case is rarely used except in the sentence "Mort aux vaches" (death to the cops) and probably comes from the Wache germanic root for Guardian, rather than the actual animal.

[-] Rich_Benzina@feddit.it 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

In Italy "uccello" (bird) means penis in a very unformal context, usually used with friends. In Tuscany, for the regional ones, we have "Topa" (female of the mouse) to indicate a very pretty girl, also very unformal and a bit rude. Same translation for "passera" (female of the sparrow). Both can also indicate the literal female reproductive organe. "Gatta morta" (dead female cat) means somebody who acts ingenous or hide her personality under a chill, almost naif mask to act at the opportune moment.

[-] TheWeirdestCunt@lemmy.today 3 points 2 weeks ago

Bird is slang for woman in the UK and in the Midlands duck is a slang for when you're talking to anyone

[-] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

"Bird" is old-time slang for a woman, usually understood to be pretty.

[-] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

In some Spanish-speaking regions, a goat is usually like a big dumb guy. And calling someone a horse is another way of saying they’re stupid.

[-] Mothra@mander.xyz 0 points 2 weeks ago

Which regions? And do they say caballo for it or a different word?

[-] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago

Caballo, yes. That's specific to Costa Rica. I forget where I heard the goat one (cabron) but I think it was either Spain or Mexico.

[-] guillem@aussie.zone 3 points 2 weeks ago

Both. "Cabrón" is specifically billygoat. Goat is used in constructions like "como una cabra" in Spain to mean crazy.

[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Cabron in Mexican Spanish is widely used, but I think it's not usually used to describe dumb. I'd translate it rather as bastard/asshole.

It can also be used to describe when a situation or something is difficult.

[-] guillem@aussie.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago

Catalan has sheep to mean slut. Woodworm for somebody that pesters or annoys insistently. Ferret for a sly person. A rat, contrary to other languages where it's a traitor, is more used for stingy people.

[-] quediuspayu@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Rata i curcó sí, però les altres dues ara no hi caic.

Edit: marrana, ara hi he caigut. Em falta l'altra.

[-] guillem@aussie.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago

Pècora, from mala pècora, a sheep that goes astray from the herd. And fura :)

[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 2 weeks ago

In the USA, "cat" can mean just any person, a woman, or vagina (an alternative to the more vulgar term that used to mean cat).

this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2025
29 points (100.0% liked)

Ask Lemmy

33086 readers
257 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either !asklemmyafterdark@lemmy.world or !asklemmynsfw@lemmynsfw.com. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email info@lemmy.world. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


6) No US Politics.
Please don't post about current US Politics. If you need to do this, try !politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world or !askusa@discuss.online


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS