teme てめ = you

One of the Japanese pronouns for “you.” Generally, it’s best not to say this word to people; if you say it to someone who doesn’t know you’re joking, be ready to duck or block a punch. But you can probably find appropriate times to use this word. The other night, in a bar called HUB, I was with my friend Duncan. When Duncan has a lot to drink, he tends to get affectionate. He sometimes likes to grab people and kiss the tops of their heads—he’s a tall fellow. So he did it to me not once, but twice, at which point I cried out, “Teme, yamero!” The people around us understood.