凶
villain, evil, bad luck, disaster
Readings
On'yomi
- キョウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
凶 centers on harmful, negative forces: a villain or evil person, bad luck, and disaster. The meanings all point to something that brings misfortune or harm.
Most common words using 凶
20 of 53- 凶悪きょうあく
atrocious; heinous; fiendish; brutal; vicious
- 凶きょう
bad luck; ill fortune; misfortune
- 凶暴きょうぼう
ferocious; brutal; atrocious; savage; barbarous
- 凶器きょうき
dangerous weapon; lethal weapon; deadly weapon; murder weapon
- 元凶げんきょう
ringleader; main culprit
- 凶行きょうこう
(act of) violence; vicious crime; murder
- 凶作きょうさくN1
bad harvest; poor crop
- 大凶だいきょう
terrible luck (esp. on an omikuji slip); very bad luck
- 吉凶きっきょう
good or bad luck; fortune
- 凶弾きょうだん
assassin's bullet
- その男、凶暴につきそのおとこ、きょうぼうにつき
Violent Cop (1989 film by Takeshi Kitano)
- 凶事きょうじ
calamity; misfortune
- 凶事の兆しきょうじのきざし
omen of disaster
- 凶人きょうじん
scoundrel; ruffian; villain
- 凶兆きょうちょう
evil omen
- 凶党きょうとう
gang; gangsters
- 凶具きょうぐ
dangerous weapon
- 凶刃きょうじん
assassin's dagger
- 凶器準備集合罪きょうきじゅんびしゅうごうざい
(crime of) assembling with dangerous weapons
- 凶報きょうほう
bad news
Study
Etymology
凶 is a pictograph of a pit or trap, representing danger and misfortune. The modern form retains the container shape 凵 with a mark inside.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture an open pit 凵 with a cross mark 㐅 inside, like a warning sign. Falling into a pit brings bad luck and disaster, and a villain might set such a trap.
Reading mnemonic
For キョウ, imagine a villain shouting 'KYOU!' (like 'kyo') when his evil plan fails and disaster strikes back at him.