ニヒル

ニ

ヒ

ル

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

Describes a person, attitude, or work that rejects conventional values and beliefs, often with a cold or cynical tone. Related to ニヒリスティック.

from Latin nihil

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉がニヒルな笑えみを浮うかべるfor someone to flash a cynical, knowing smile
彼かれはニヒルな笑えみを浮うかべて何なにも答こたえなかった。
He gave a cynical smile and said nothing.
ニヒルな態たい度どをとるto take a cynical, aloof attitude
彼かれはいつもニヒルな態たい度どをとって周まわりを煙けむに巻まく。
He always takes a cynical, aloof attitude that confuses those around him.
ニヒルに笑わらうto laugh or smile in a cynical, detached way
主しゅ人じん公こうはニヒルに笑わらいながらその場ばを去さった。
The protagonist walked away with a cynical smile.

Related words

ニヒリスティック
ニヒリスティック is the more direct, philosophical adjective for 'nihilistic', while ニヒル is the everyday word used to describe a cool, cynical attitude or style.
虚きょ無む的てき
虚無的 is a literary, native-Japanese term for a nihilistic worldview, whereas ニヒル is the more casual loanword often used to describe a person's cool, detached image.
冷れい淡たんN1
冷淡 simply means cold or indifferent toward others, while ニヒル adds the specific nuance of rejecting values and meaning with a cynical edge.

Opposites

楽らっ観かん的てきN1
楽観的 describes a hopeful, positive outlook, the opposite of the cold, meaning-rejecting attitude conveyed by ニヒル.

Etymology

From Latin 'nihil' (nothing), via German or English influence. The exact path into Japanese is uncertain, but it is used as a na-adjective meaning 'nihilistic'.