Definition
“… に親でも殺されたのか”, meaning “Were your parents or someone killed by …” is a sarcastic and provocative Japanese expression used on the internet. It is used against those who show their excessive hatred, anger and hostility toward someone/something, as if they hold a grudge since their parents were killed by them. For instance, when you see someone always ranting on about the taste of coriander, you may say ”パクチーに親でも殺されたのか?” meaning “Were your parents or someone killed by coriander?” As you might guess, the more bizarre and unlikely the sentence is, the funnier it sounds.
Word Structure
に親でも殺されたのか is roughly divided into the following 5 parts.
- に: a versatile particle, which means “by” in this expression.
- 親: a noun meaning “parent(s)”
- でも: a versatile binding particle, which means “or someone/something” in this expression. (e.g. “お茶でも飲む?” means “Do you want some tea or something?”)
- 殺された: a passive form of “殺す”, meaning “be killed”
- のか: the combination of the two particles “の” and “か, which forms an interrogative sentence.
On the whole, this expression means “Were your parents or someone killed by (something)”
Example Sentences
Ex1
彼のサラダにアボカドを入れたら、狂ったようにキレられた。アボカドに親でも殺されたのか?
When I put some avocado in his salad, he became completely mad at me like crazy. Were his parents or someone killed by avocado?
Ex2
A: Apple製品はマジでくそ。絶対に買うなよ。買う奴はマジ情弱
B: お前、Appleに親でも殺されたのか?
A: Apple products are sh*t. Don’t buy them. If you but them, you are so 情弱 (stupid).
B Were your parents or someone killed by Apple?
(Note)
Learn more about 情弱 in the following post:
情弱 (joujaku): Japanese Internet slang for “lacking in common knowledge”
Synonyms: None
Synonyms in English: “Were your parents or someone killed by (something)?”
Related words and phrases: 親 (parents), 殺す (kill), でも (or someone/something)
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