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A common insult, or at least, I've always understood it to be an insult, is to
describe a woman as a `マグロ` in bed. Being referred to as `マグロ`, which is
"tuna" in English, implies that a woman just lies there, unmoving and
unenthusiastic about the sex which she is a part of.

I came across [this blog](http://supacat.tumblr.com/post/33332873/sex-and-
flirting-in-japan-originally-from-lj-user), and in a post about sex and
flirting, the author states:

> For me, with my western sensibilities and preconceptions, calling someone a
> ‘tuna’ in bed sounds like an insult, conjuring up images of cold dead fish,
> but in Japan that word has a very positive connotation. Tuna’s an expensive
> delicacy.

The author's case, in summary, is that in sex in Japan, one partner is always
passive, the receiver of what the other person does. One who lies there and
takes it is therefor a good thing.

I think this is a case of over-thinking the cultural implications, something
that seems to plague so much of foreign analysis of Japan. As far as I've ever
understood `マグロ`, when used by Japanese people, it is an insult, and not
praise. [These](http://www.angelfire.com/anime4/jslang/jibiki.htm)
[pages](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=maguro)
[all](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AD_%28%E3%82%A2%E3%83%80%E3%83%AB%E3%83%88%29)
[seem](http://zokugo-dict.com/31ma/maguro.htm) to agree with me.

But it's always good to question one's assumptions. The author claims
verification from her Japanese friends.

Am I right that it's always an insult, or is there anything to support what
this blogger is saying about the use of the word?

_(Note I am only asking about the definition of the word, not trying to open
any discussion about passivity or other issues of sexual relations in Japan.)_
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-13T07:03:00.060
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question
usage slang
Is マグロ always an insult?
This person is talking out their ass. It is always an insult.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-13T20:06:58.973
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answer
For your information, 「マグロ」 can also refer to a dead body of a person killed
by a running tram.
CC BY-SA 3.0
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