Have you seen the term 'baka' on social media websites like TikTok or YouTube and don't understand the context? If you need an appropriate insult or want to find out what someone has called you, the term 'baka' is a common modern internet term that needs context. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this term.
Meaning
The term 'baka' is a popular insult that has gained popularity on social media websites, especially on TikTok.
'Baka' can be used as a comment, a tag or be used in a post or status to indicate that someone is foolish, has done something foolish or is a fool themselves.
The term can also be used to mean 'idiot' and is a general insult that attacks someone's intelligence.
'Baka' is almost always used as a rude term although some users on TikTok have used the term to apply to stupid actions just like the popular word 'fail' might be used in conversation.
The term 'baka' has been attributed to its Japanese origins, and literally means “horse deer” - or a creature so dumb that it cannot possibly function in real life.
While the term 'baka' is considered a relatively new insult in most of the English-speaking world, it has long been a common insult that is found throughout Japanese literature, including Japanese language forums.
Example Usage
“Okay, so my uncle drank three pints of beer, strapped himself to a chair and then kicked himself down a hill to see if he could reach enough momentum to jump three trees. He couldn't, and then died. He was a definite baka.”
“If you aren't sure what the word 'baka' means then you should Google it, especially if it's something that your Japanese friend just happened to call you. Just look it up and figure out what you might have done wrong at the dinner party!”
“My mother used to call me 'baka' and I used to think it was the sweetest thing until I typed it into Google to find out what it could mean.”
“I think my grandfather blew up a radiator and that's how he died. He must have been a bit of a baka just like my father was when he met my mother.
Origin
The term 'baka' became a popular generalized insult on TikTok and other social media platforms in the late 2020s, with a high rise in its use popularity on the website TikTok during the year 2021.
The website Urban Dictionary documents the use of the term as a popular insult from the year 2021, when it was likely first used by TikTok and Twitter users.
The term has its origins in Japanese, where the term 'baka' literally translates to 'horse deer' and means someone who is a fool (or someone who did something foolish).
A close related English term to the insult 'baka' would be the general term 'fail'.
'Fail' can describe someone who has gone wrong or done something dumb, and 'a baka' would be that unfortunate person.
The term is likely to have an earlier Sanskrit or Chinese origin, after which the term 'baka' made its way into other languages including Japanese...and now English.
Usually 'baka' is used as an insult, although some TikTok users claim erroneously that the term can also be used in an affectionate way. According to its original Japanese use, the term 'baka' is mostly used as an insulting one.
Phrases Similar to Baka
- Fail
- Idiot
- Fool
Phrases Opposite to Baka
- Genius
- Sherlock
What is the Correct Saying?
- Baka
- baka
Ways People May Say Baka Incorrectly
There are few ways to use the term 'baka' incorrectly, although it can be misinterpreted the wrong way if you don't yet understand the meaning of the term.
The term 'baka' refers to something stupid, or usually someone who can be perceived as stupid for something they have done.
'Baka' is used almost exclusively as a synonym for fool or foolish, and despite some users trying to use the term in an endearing way, it is mostly used as an insult.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Baka
The term 'baka' can be used as a generalized insult to mean that someone is a fool or idiot, but can also be used in the context of a tag, a status or a sentence.