Update: Thank you to everyone for helping fill in the informational and cultural gaps for me! I'll definitely have schaamstukje be used in my circle (mostly against me) and I'll be aware to not just blurt it out at unknown company or put in any articles to avoid faux pas and confusion. I'm sure if I was actually convinced put it on a KNVB jersey someone would think I was insulting the team and decided to maul me.

u/BillNyesHat threw this together and is much more fitting to be on a shirt: https://imgur.com/a/Q62bwsY

Hi hi, r/TheNetherlands!

So I'm ethnically East Asian, and culturally we usually always leave the last piece of food until we either ask if anyone wants it (elders first) or we are offered. Even when it's offered to us, we will ask if anyone else would like it. It was amusing to learn that that's essentially what schaamstukje is used for and the word has since been attached to me like a nickname since I always, without fail, point out the schaamstukje.

Personally, I see no shame in the schaamstukje because you/I win if we get the last delicious bite. XD

Now I also know that it's not just "shame piece" but that it also has a related/extended connotation of a person's pubic area? Since learning about the word, I've never heard it spoken by anyone outside of my circle. It seems rather uncommon/rare, and if used it's really just for food. I actually brought up the word to some new acquaintances who are Dutch-born and even they said they'd never of it with either descriptor.

Would it be amusing to see schaamstukje on, say, a football jersey or a backpack? Would it be misconstrued and start an argument or a fight (I mean, especially on a football jersey maybe :P)? You wouldn't use it as a curse and call someone a schaamstukje, would you?

My friends and I have a tendency to use our nicknames a lot too, so I'd like to know how more people feel about it before I use it incorrectly or upset someone. It doesn't bother my circle at all, but I'd rather not be that guy that uses a word too casually and inappropriately around strangers.

Thank you in advance for your perspectives and insights!

by ShallotsAndScallops

26 comments

  1. Personally, I have never heard about Schaamstukje before and thought it was related to “schaamstreek”/your neither regions.

    But I quite like the explanation… So if you *do* print it on a shirt, I would maybe add a little drawing with it

  2. Never heard of the word schaamstukje as a Dutchman. It might come from the Flemish, I get more hits from Belgian than Dutch sites on google.

    If I would see it on your shirt I would definitely not think about the last piece of food.

    I would connect it more to your second explanation, although I have never have heard the word used for that either. It’s normally ‘schaamstreek’ in Dutch.

  3. I believe schaamstukje is pretty exclusively Flemish; so as you discovered, most Dutch will have no clue what it means and will instead associate it with ones nether regions.

  4. I have also never heard of this word, and I would also interpret it as a reference to your nether regions, based on what schaam- means in more commonly known compounds.

    I would recommend only using it in any setting where you do not mind people interpreting it as a reference to your nether regions. Otherwise, I wouldn’t find it offensive per se, as it sounds more like a polite euphemism than a slur.

    Honestly though, even hearing and verifying that it does have the meaning you describe… I would still associate it with someone’s nether regions every time I hear it, regardless of any attempts to teach me otherwise.

    Possibly, as another poster noted, this association is less strong in Flemish Dutch. But be warned as to what people are going to think if they see or hear the word and be sure you’re okay with the reactions you’re going to get.

    Otherwise, you do you!

  6. Our family has created the tradition of just taking it if you want while proclaiming you are “de bloedgier” (blood vulture). That makes it way less awkward, if you acknowledge that you take the last one and are not ashamed of not leaving it for anyone. Then it also won’t go to waste or lay there for so long it won’t be good anymore.

  7. I have heard of the term before, it was once on the game show ‘Ik hou van Holland’, it was in a quiz section on sort of unfamiliar Dutch words. However, it was called ‘schaambrokje’, a sort of shame morsel and I like that word better to be honest, since it is further removed from the ‘schaamstreek’ that other people have pointed out here :p.

  8. A southern acquaintance has introduced this word with my family and still everytime someone uses it I get the other association

  9. I know it as ‘het schaamtebrokje’, not Flemish. I doubt there is any connotation to ‘de schaamstreek’. Maybe more as in: it is the last thing you eat or see of someone?

  10. I’ve never heard of the word and if I did see or hear it somewhere without explanation, I would think it had something to do with the *schaamstreek*.
    If it were used as a nickname (e.g. written on a football jersey), I would assume there is some wild and/or awkward story behind it, involving your pubic area.

    So, not really offensive, perhaps a bit inappropriate in some settings. Up to you weather or not you’re okay with that.

  11. I have heard about it and sometimes my friend group uses is, but as you can see it’s not very known in The Netherlands. I wouldn’t print it on a shirt 😅

  12. I would think it’s too closely related to schaamlapje, which is a piece of cloth to hide your pubic area, and would probably have the “schaamrood” on my face (redfaced of shame) when being associated with that.

  13. I have never heard of the word schaamstukje, and I would certainly think it’s related to the pubic area.

  14. ….more the half a century dutch and “schaamstukje” is totally new for me…

  15. A schaamstukje is what the americans refer to as a Merkin.

    For those now needing to google Merkin, NSFW warning.

  16. not familiar with the term you’re using, but if you take it you’ll have to walk the dog

  17. I’m Dutch and call it het schaamstukje as well, but most words I know starting with ‘schaam’ except for this and schaamrood has to do with private parts. So it’ll probably raise a few eyebrows.

  18. I’m dying with laughter in the waiting area reading this. I’m going to use this word in my life and create more laughter.

  19. I’ve never heard of it (apparently it’s Flemish and I’m not lol), but I’m also raised with like asking everyone for the last piece, and now I’m wondering if that’s an Indo thing or just kinda more a regular dutch thing. No one on the culturally Dutch side of my family does this though

    Also to answer your question, like everyone else mentioned, anything with “schaam” in it is either related to pubes/genitals or shame lmao

  21. Never heard it and not planning to start using that word now that I know of it. I don’t think it will add something to the table, for the people I eat with.

  23. I have no idea what you writing about. I never heard of this word and also your description is really not a non issue in this country.

  24. As bring dutch, this is the first time I’m reading (or hearing) the word ‘schaamstukje’.

  25. I’m dutch living in the nort, I actively use it when taking the last piece from a cake or pie. If you put it on a backpack I would do it together with a picture of a piece of pie on a further emptie plate.

  26. I have never heard of that word and would’ve assumed it relates to something pubic, akin to a “schaamlap” (loincloth) or elaborate pubic hair styling or something.

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