bad guy; scoundrel; wicked person
Refers to a person who is morally bad or a troublemaker. Often used in casual or slangy speech.
That guy is a real scoundrel.
bad child; brat; naughty kid
Used for a misbehaving child. Often affectionate or scolding depending on tone.
bad thing; mischief
Used as a prefix in compounds like 悪さ (mischief) or 悪知恵 (cunning). Not a standalone noun for 'bad thing'.
Kids who do mischief are disliked.
noun-modifying (irregular)
excessive; unrestrained; overindulgent
Prenominal use, often in set phrases like 悪酔い (getting sick from drinking too much) or 悪ふざけ (excessive prank). Not freely productive.
He's a real scoundrel through and through.
He's a bad guy despite his appearance.
My kid is a real brat and never listens.
He's cunning (lit. has bad wisdom).
He got scolded by the teacher for excessive pranks.
Be careful not to drink too much and get sick.
They committed wrongdoing and were arrested.
悪党 carries a stronger sense of organized wrongdoing or villainy, whereas 悪 is a lighter, more colloquial label for a bad guy.
悪い is the adjective meaning 'bad', while 悪 is the related noun used to call someone a 'bad guy' or describe mischief.
bad; undesirable; unfavorable · poor in quality; inferior; insufficient · evil; morally wrong; sinful · ugly; unattractive; not beautiful · at fault; to blame; in the wrong · bad at doing something; unskillful; inept · unprofitable; disadvantageous; not worthwhile · sorry; my bad; I feel bad about it
abuse; slander; bad-mouthing; insulting remarks
bad guy; villain; scoundrel
mean; nasty; malicious; unkind
ill will; malice; evil intent
prank; practical joke; horseplay; mischievous trick
useless resistance; vain struggle
ill-natured; bad-tempered; mean-spirited
drunken sickness; feeling sick from alcohol · drunken frenzy; violent or disorderly drunkenness
Standard kanji spelling for the noun and prefix uses.
Katakana spelling often used in casual or slangy contexts, especially for 'bad guy' or 'brat'.
From Old Japanese. The kanji 悪 is used for its meaning 'bad, evil'. The reading わる is a native Japanese word, not a Sino-Japanese borrowing.
cunning; craftiness; slyness
evil scheme; sinister plot; wiles
act timid; show diffidence; look ashamed
getting carried away; going too far; overdoing it
cunning; crafty; wily; sly
embarrassed; ashamed; feeling awkward
seeming bad; looking bad
badness; poor quality; how bad something is · mischief; naughty act; mean trick
dangerous spot; dangerous place
unpleasant; disagreeable · mean; mean person
over-sophistication; being too worldly-wise; being jaded
act tough; act bad; pretend to be worse than one is
brat; naughty kid
distrust; unjust suspicion