嫌
dislike, detest, hate
Readings
On'yomi
- ケン
- ゲン
Kun'yomi
- きら.う
- きら.い
- いや
Meaning
嫌 centers on a strong negative feeling toward something: disliking, detesting, or hating it.
Most common words using 嫌
20 of 125- 嫌いやN5
disliking; not wanting; unwilling (to do); reluctant
- 嫌いきらいN5
disliked; hated; disagreeable
- 嫌うきらうN3
to hate; to dislike; to loathe; to abhor
- 機嫌きげんN3
humour; humor; temper; mood; spirits
- 大嫌いだいきらいN1
hating; strongly disliking
- 嫌がらせいやがらせN1
harassment; pestering
- 嫌悪けんおN1
disgust; hate; repugnance; loathing
- 嫌らしいいやらしいN1
unpleasant; disagreeable; nasty
- 嫌がるいやがるN3
to appear uncomfortable (with); to seem to hate; to express dislike
- 好き嫌いすききらいN2
likes and dislikes; tastes; preferences; pickiness (esp. about food); choosiness; fussiness
- 嫌気いやき
dislike; disgust; disinclination; tired of
- 嫌味いやみN2
disagreeableness; unpleasantness; nastiness; offensiveness; tastelessness
- ご機嫌ようごきげんよう
nice to see you; good morning; good evening
- 嫌疑けんぎ
suspicion
- 負けず嫌いまけずぎらいN1
hating to lose; unyielding; unbending; competitive; sore loser; determined
- 毛嫌いけぎらい
antipathy; prejudice
- 上機嫌じょうきげんN3
good humour (humor); good mood
- 人嫌いひとぎらい
misanthropy; misanthrope
- 食わず嫌いくわずぎらいN1
disliking a certain food without having tried it
- 嫌煙けんえん
dislike of smoking
Study
Etymology
嫌 combines 女 (woman) with 兼, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest a sense of being combined or involved, but the exact semantic link to dislike is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 beside 兼, which looks like a hand holding two things together. Imagine a woman forced to combine with something she hates, making her dislike it intensely.
Reading mnemonic
For ケン, picture Ken, a man who strongly dislikes something, making a disgusted face: Ken -> ケン, and his dislike is clear.