悪あく役やく

あ

く

や

く

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

villain; baddie; villain's role

Refers to a villainous character in a story, drama, or film, or the role itself. Can also be used figuratively for someone who plays the 'bad guy' in a real-life situation.

彼かれはその映えい画がで悪あく役やくを演えんじた。
He played the villain in that movie.
会かい議ぎで彼かれは悪あく役やくを買かって出でた。
He took on the role of the bad guy at the meeting.

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Usage patterns

〈悪あく役やく〉を演えんじるto play the role of the villain
彼かれはドラマで悪あく役やくを演えんじるのが得とく意いだ。
He is good at playing the villain in dramas.
〈悪あく役やく〉になるto become the villain (often figuratively, taking the blame)
彼かれは交こう渉しょうの場ばでわざと悪あく役やくになった。
He deliberately played the villain during the negotiation.
〈悪あく役やく〉を務つとめるto serve as/take on the villain's role
その映えい画がでは有ゆう名めいな俳はい優ゆうが悪あく役やくを務つとめた。
A famous actor took on the villain's role in that movie.

Kanji

悪bad, vice, rascal
役duty, war, campaign

Related words

敵かたき役やく
敵役 refers to an antagonist role especially in traditional or theatrical drama, while 悪役 is the broader, more modern term for a villain in any story.
悪あくN2
悪役 specifically means the villain role in a story or film, whereas 悪 alone can refer to the abstract idea of a bad character.
ヒール
悪役 is the general Japanese word for a villain in any drama or story, while ヒール is the specific pro-wrestling term for the same kind of role.

Opposites

ヒーロー
ヒーロー is the hero or protagonist of a story, the direct opposite of the 悪役 who plays the villain.
主しゅ役やくN2
主役 is the leading, central role in a story, contrasting with 悪役, the villain's role.
主しゅ人じん公こうN2
悪役 is the villain or antagonist role in a story, the natural opposite of the 主人公, the hero or protagonist.
ヒロイン
悪役 means 'villain', the role opposite the ヒロイン in a story.

Etymology

Compound of 悪 (aku, 'evil') and 役 (yaku, 'role'). The reading is on'yomi. The word has been used since at least the Edo period in kabuki and later in modern media.