Why 他妈的 means (swear word)
的 here doesn't mean target, it is functioning as a possessive marker that marks the subject before it possesses the object after it.
他妈的 literally means &quot; his mother's &quot; -- short for 'his mother's (swearing word)'
他妈的 is mostly used as an exclamation that expresses displeasure or anger  similar to 'damn it' in English