Measure words for disrespect

Question

I know certain measure words convey respect, for example:

一位客人

Is there something similar I could use to emphatically disrespect someone, as in:

他是一?饭桶

Or is just using 个 disrespectful enough?

Answer 1

General answer to disrespectful measure words

I can't recall any special disrespectful measure words in Chinese. Such disrespectful phrases are just expressed with simple measure words according to the noun. Like

他是

• 一个笨蛋 [offensive level: 1]

• 一个饭桶 [offensive level: 2]

• 一个贱人 [offensive level: 4]

• 一个傻逼 [offensive level: 5, with profanity word 屄/逼(cunt)]

• 一个二逼 [offensive level: 5, with profanity word 屄/逼(cunt)]

or

• 一坨屎 [offensive level: 3]

• 一只(个)禽兽 [offensive level: 2]

• 一条走狗 [offensive level: 2]

Note that the offensive level is my personal feeling: 1 is the lowest and 5 is the highest. You'd better not use offensive level >= 3 words when speaking to somebody face to face, or, you'd better be ready for a fight :)

Metaphor of measure words

A few Chinese people use measure words 只/坨 to show emphatic disrespect with metaphor.

他是一只小人。 (the measure word implies he is even not a human.)

But it is rarely heard in daily life. Interestingly, the official editorial often use

一 小撮 不明真相的群众

一 小撮 犯罪分子

to describe some kind of people are really few with a derogatory sense. It's a metaphor too, implying that kind of people are just like a small pinch of dust.

Common ways to emphasize your expression

To emphasize the expression, you can omit the numeral

他是个饭桶。 He is a scalawag.

Or you can also use 就是, 真是

他就是个饭桶。 He is exactly a scalawag.

他真是个饭桶。 He is really a scalawag.

And for shouting, omit the verb 是

他个饭桶。

你个傻逼。

Answer 2

Hong Kong Cantonese uses the expression

(一  ) 條       友/友仔
(jat1) tiu4    jau5/jau5zai2
one    long:MW friend

as a contemptuous way of referring to a person. While 個 can be used instead, the measure word 條 suggests something long, slippery and unpleasant.