Translation guide
To strongly dislike or hate something or someone. In Japanese, expressing strong dislike often depends on the target (person, action, thing) and the level of formality. Direct translations like 嫌う can sound harsh; learners should choose expressions based on context.
Expressing that you hate or cannot stand someone or something, in casual to neutral contexts.
The most common and natural way to say you detest or hate something/someone. A na-adjective used with だ/です. Stronger than 嫌い.
I detest bugs.
I detest him.
Means 'dislike' or 'hate'. Less intense than 大嫌い, but can still convey strong dislike depending on tone and context.
I detest people who lie.
A verb meaning 'to hate' or 'to detest'. More formal and direct than 嫌い. Often used in written or formal speech. Can sound harsh if used about people in casual conversation.
He detests injustice intensely.
Expressing that you hate doing an action or being in a situation.
Expressing that something is so unpleasant you cannot tolerate it.
Literally 'cannot endure'. Used for things you find unbearable or detestable. Often used with ほど or くらい to emphasize.
I detest his attitude. (I can't stand his attitude.)
I detest this heat so much I can't stand it.
Similar to 我慢できない, meaning 'unbearable'. Slightly more formal/literary.
Expressing intense hatred or moral revulsion, often in formal or written contexts.
Means 'to hate' or 'to detest' with a nuance of deep grudge or moral condemnation. Stronger and more serious than 嫌う. Use carefully.
He detests the friend who betrayed him from the bottom of his heart.
To abhor or detest, often with a sense of taboo or strong aversion. Used in formal or literary contexts.
While 嫌う is a direct translation of 'detest', it can sound overly harsh or formal in everyday speech. For most situations, 大嫌い or 嫌い are more natural.
大嫌い is explicitly stronger, like 'hate' or 'detest'. 嫌い is 'dislike' but can be intensified by tone. When in doubt, 大嫌い clearly conveys strong dislike.
When detesting an abstract concept or a general action, こと can replace の in 〜のが大嫌い, though の is more common in speech. こと sounds slightly more formal.
Detest lying.
I detest speaking in public.
It was a sight I detested seeing. (It was an unbearable sight.)
That custom is detested by society.