Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

凶悪 (きょうあく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

凶きょう悪あく

きょ

う

あ

く

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

atrocious; heinous; vicious

Describes crimes, acts, or people that are shockingly evil, brutal, or cruel. Often used in news reports and formal descriptions of serious offenses.

彼かれは

凶きょう

悪あく

な

犯はん

罪ざい

で

逮たい

捕ほ

さ

れ

た

。

He was arrested for a heinous crime.

その事じ件けんはあまりにも凶きょう悪あくで、言こと葉ばを失うしなった。

The incident was so atrocious that I was speechless.

Usage patterns

凶きょう悪あくな〈事こと〉a heinous 〈incident/crime〉
凶きょう悪あくな事じ件けんが相あい次ついで報ほう道どうされた。
A series of heinous incidents were reported.
〈事こと〉が凶きょう悪あく化かするfor a case/situation to become more vicious
近きん年ねん、犯はん罪ざいが凶きょう悪あく化かしていると言いわれる。
It is said that crimes have been becoming more vicious in recent years.

Kanji

凶villain, evil, bad luck
悪bad, vice, rascal
兇wickedness

Related words· 6

残ざん忍にん
残忍 highlights physical cruelty and savagery, while 凶悪 covers a wider range of evil acts, including calculated or cunning crimes.
悪あく質しつN1
悪質 focuses on the malicious, low-quality nature of an act, whereas 凶悪 stresses extreme wickedness or atrocity.
凄せい惨さん
凄惨 describes a gruesome, horrific scene or result, while 凶悪 describes the vicious nature of the person or act itself.
極ごく悪あく
凶悪 emphasizes brutal, violent behavior, while 極悪 stresses extreme moral wickedness of a person or act.

Show 2 more

邪じゃ悪あく
邪悪 emphasizes a twisted, morally wicked character, while 凶悪 emphasizes violent, brutal acts such as serious crimes.
残ざん虐ぎゃく
凶悪 describes a person or crime as viciously dangerous, while 残虐 specifically highlights merciless, savage violence.

Opposites

善ぜん良りょうN1
善良 describes a person as good-natured and virtuous, the opposite of the viciousness implied by 凶悪.

Don't confuse with

凶きょう暴ぼう
凶暴 describes ferocious, violent behavior (e.g. a wild animal or temper), while 凶悪 describes the moral atrocity of a crime or criminal.

Word family

凶きょう悪あく性せい
heinousness; atrocious nature; extreme brutality
凶きょう悪あく犯はん
heinous criminal; vicious criminal
凶きょう悪あく犯はん人にん
heinous criminal; vicious criminal

Written forms

凶きょう悪あくUsage96%
Standard modern spelling; used in news and everyday contexts.
兇きょう悪あくUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 凶悪 is preferred in modern Japanese.

Etymology

Compound of 凶 (bad luck, evil) and 悪 (bad, evil). The kanji combination directly conveys extreme evil or viciousness.

凶きょう悪あく犯はん罪ざい

atrocious crime; heinous crime