Translation guide
The feeling of wanting to hurt or annoy someone, often because of anger or resentment. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through nouns, adjectives, and verbs that convey malicious intent, ill will, or acting out of spite.
Expressing the general feeling of wanting to harm or annoy someone out of resentment.
He said that out of spite.
Often used as an adjective (意地悪な) meaning 'mean-spirited' or 'spiteful'. It implies a petty, malicious attitude.
She told a lie out of spite.
Means 'grudge' or 'resentment'. It is often the underlying emotion that leads to spiteful actions.
He hurt him out of spite.
Describing actions done specifically to hurt or annoy someone.
An adverb meaning 'on purpose' or 'deliberately'. Often used to describe spiteful actions when combined with context.
He ignored me out of spite.
The adverbial form of 意地悪, meaning 'out of spite' or 'meanly'.
He revealed the secret out of spite.
Means 'in retaliation' or 'to vent one's anger'. It implies doing something spiteful as a way to relieve frustration.
I threw away his book out of spite.
Describing a person who is habitually spiteful or mean.
Expressing the idea of doing something regardless of obstacles or contrary circumstances. This is a different sense of 'spite' used in the phrase 'in spite of'.
A formal pattern meaning 'in spite of' or 'despite'. Used after nouns or the dictionary form of verbs/adjectives.
In spite of the rain, I went out.
A more casual pattern meaning 'even though' or 'despite'. Used after verbs and adjectives in their plain form.
In spite of the rain, I went out.
Avoid directly translating 'spite' as a standalone noun in many contexts. Japanese often uses adverbial phrases like わざと or 意地悪で to express the manner of an action done out of spite.
悪意 is a more formal and serious term for 'malice', often used in legal or psychological contexts. 意地悪 is more colloquial and describes petty, mean-spirited behavior in daily life.