In Japanese, the word ばか baka means "idiot," "moron," "fool," or "dimwit"; it can also refer to the condition of being stupid. The word is widely used in conversation and, while derogatory, is not taboo. It is more common in Tokyo and other parts of eastern Japan; in Osaka and elsewhere in western Japan, the usual equivalent is aho. View of Tokyos Shibuya district Long a symbol of Tokyo, the Nijubashi Bridge at the Imperial Palace. ... Osaka Castle Location in Japan Osaka (Japanese: 大阪市, ÅŒsaka-shi, â–¶ (help· info)) is the capital of Osaka Prefecture and the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ...

When used as an adjective in Japanese, baka (na) can mean "absurd" or "crazy" in addition to "idiotic." The adverb form "baka ni" can mean "extremely": baka ni dekai: "extremely large". Baka ni naru can also mean "overdo" or "overwork". There are three types of Japanese adjective: keiyōshi, or i adjectives, which have a conjugating ending i which can become, for example, past, or negative. ...

Depending on ones tone of voice when using the word "baka," the word can range in severity from meaning "silly" to meaning something like "idiot." The latter of the two "insults" is not usually acquired unless the suffix "yarō" is added to the end of the word. There are a few other suffixes that can directly modify the exact meaning of the word "baka."

Baka is written with the Chinese characters 馬鹿, which literally mean "horse-deer" (and are used to refer to Red Deer in China). The word may come from a story mentioned in Records of the Grand Historian, a 1st century BC historical book from China, written by Sima Qian. The story is about how Zhao Gao, who conspired a coup d'etat, tested his servants' loyalty. He referred to his deer offering to Emperor Qin Er Shi as a horse. Some followed suit and called it a horse, while others called it a deer. Zhao Gao had those who disagreed with him executed. Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 Kanji ( (help· info), literally Han characters), is a Japanese writing system which is derived from Chinese characters (Hanzi). ... Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Numerous - see text. ... The Records of the Grand Historian or the Records of the Grand Historian of China (Chinese: 史記; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shih-chi; literally Historical Records), written from 109 BCE to 91 BCE, was the magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the mythical... (2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century - other centuries) The 1st century BC starts on January 1, 100 BC and ends on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) // Events The Roman Republic... Sima Qian (circa 145—90 BC) was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes (太史令) of the Han Dynasty. ... Zhao Gao 趙高 (died end of October 207 BC) was the chief eunuch during the Qin Dynasty of China, who played an instrumental role in the downfall of the Qin Dynasty. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Servant has a number of meaning: A servant is another word for domestic worker, a person who is hired to provide regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. ... Subfamilies Capreolinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Qin Er Shi (229 BC - beginning October 207 BC), literally Second Emperor of Qin Dynasty, personal name Huhai, was emperor of the Qin Dynasty in China from 210 BC until 207 BC. Qin Er Shi was the son of Qin Shi Huang (the First Emperor of Qin), but he was... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus or Equus ferus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Zhao Gao 趙高 (died end of October 207 BC) was the chief eunuch during the Qin Dynasty of China, who played an instrumental role in the downfall of the Qin Dynasty. ...

A related idiom is Shika o sashite uma to nasu. (Point at a deer and call it a horse. 指鹿為馬/指鹿为马) which comes from the same story. It means to push one's agendas using one's authority, despite having contradictions; also, to make fun of others. Another Japanese idiom is, "Demo baka ha shinanakya naoranai." (However, only death can cure a fool.) An idiom is an expression (ie. ...

Another theory states that the word baka was first used by Buddhist monks, and the word originated from a Sanskrit word moha. This theory states that the Chinese characters were merely a transcription. A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Transcription is the conversion into written, typewritten or printed form, of a spoken language source, such as the proceedings of a court hearing. ...

See also

• Bakauke, a Japanese snack.