底そこ意い地じが悪わるい

そ

こ

い

じ

が

わ

る

い

Meanings

1

expression, i-adjective

malicious at heart; spiteful; wicked

Describes a person whose underlying nature is mean-spirited or ill-natured, often hidden beneath a surface appearance. Used as a set phrase.

彼かれは底そこ意い地じが悪わるいから、あまり信しん用ようしないほうがいい。
He is malicious at heart, so you'd better not trust him too much.

あの人ひとの底そこ意い地じの悪わるさには驚おどろかされる。

I'm amazed at how spiteful that person is deep down.

Written forms

底そこ意い地じが悪わるい
Standard kanji spelling for this set phrase.
そこいじが悪わるい
Kana spelling of the first part is sometimes seen, but the full kanji form is more common.

Kanji

底bottom, sole, depth
意idea, mind, heart
地ground, earth
悪bad, vice, rascal

Similar words

意い地じ悪わる
意地悪 is a more common word for 'mean' or 'spiteful', often used for deliberate unkind acts. 底意地が悪い emphasizes a deep-rooted, inherent maliciousness of character.
根こん性じょうが悪わるい
根性が悪い also means 'bad-natured', but 根性 refers to one's disposition or spirit, while 底意地 suggests a more fundamental, hidden ill will.

Etymology

Compound of 底 (そこ, 'bottom') + 意地 (いじ, 'disposition') + が + 悪い (わるい, 'bad'). Literally 'the bottom of one's disposition is bad', implying inherent maliciousness.