Translation guide
The English phrase "bad guy" can refer to a villain in a story, a person who does bad things in real life, or a criminal. Japanese has different words depending on context, formality, and nuance.
Referring to the antagonist or evil character in fiction.
Standard term for a villain or antagonist in a story, play, or movie.
He played the bad guy in that movie.
Literally 'enemy role', used for antagonist or villain, often in dramas or traditional stories.
He's the bad guy in this drama.
General term for 'bad person', can be used for fictional villains, especially in children's stories.
In children's anime, the bad guys always lose.
Describing someone who is morally bad or engages in wrongdoing.
Simple and common way to say 'bad person'. Neutral and widely understood.
He's not a bad guy.
Can be used for real-life bad people, but often carries a nuance of being a 'villain' or 'wrongdoer' in a more dramatic sense.
Refers to a villain or scoundrel, often used in a more dramatic or literary context. Can sound old-fashioned.
Referring to someone who commits crimes.
Standard term for 'criminal'. Neutral and formal.
The police are chasing the bad guy.
Means 'culprit' or 'perpetrator', often used when referring to a specific crime.
Literally 'evil person', can be used for criminals but has a stronger moral judgment. Less common in everyday speech.
Describing someone who acts tough or is part of a rough group, often in casual contexts.
Slang term derived from 'warui' (bad). Used for someone who acts like a delinquent or tough guy, often in a cool or rebellious way.
Apparently he used to be a bad guy.
Refers to a juvenile delinquent or troublemaker. Often used for teenagers in school contexts.
Directly translating 'bad guy' as '悪い男' (warui otoko) is unnatural and can be misinterpreted. Use context-appropriate terms instead.
悪者 (warumono) is a general 'bad person' and can be used for both real life and fiction, while 悪役 (akuyaku) specifically means a villain role in a story or performance.
あの政治家は悪者扱いされている。
That politician is treated like a bad guy.
彼は町の悪党として知られている。
He's known as the town's bad guy.
犯人はまだ捕まっていない。
The bad guy hasn't been caught yet.
彼は悪人だ。
He's a bad guy.
That school has a lot of bad guys.