Italian rhetorical question that is used in response to
something someone has
said that they don't find interesting or useful information. It
literally means "these dicks" but it's short for "and what do you think about these dicks?".
Basically, to person 1 saying something uninteresting, person 2 responds rhetorically what they think instead about "these dicks", which are likely just as uninteresting to person 1.
Alternative variants include: "E 'sti cazzi?" and "E 'sti gran cazzi?" (big dicks) or even more complex ones such as "'Sto mazzo di cazzi?" (a bunch of dicks).
It is not to be confused with "'sto cazzo", which is what you'd use in response to someone saying something untrue or in reference to an untrue
fact. It is similar to saying "my ass" in english. "Four star hotel my ass." "Hotel a quattro stelle 'sto cazzo." However, this variant might be in use as
well if it sounds like a question and it is preceded by "e": "E sto cazzo?".
This is the original meaning, but these days it is used as a "filler" in informal conversations without necessarily conveying the same meaning or one at all. For example, it can be used as a sarcastic generic rhetorical question or exclamation. "You'
ll love meeting my
parents!" "E sti cazzi?", which means "Sure I will love your
parents! (sarcastic) and what about these dicks?"
This expression originated in Rome or Lazio but it is in use everywhere in
Italy.
