also: いがみ
distortion; warp; skew
Physical or geometric distortion: something bent, twisted, or warped out of its original shape. Also used for signal or image distortion.
Metaphorical use: a flaw, bias, or unhealthy tendency in a person's character, thinking, or emotions.
This board has warped due to moisture.
Correct the lens distortion.
There is a slight kink in his personality.
After years of use, distortion developed in the lens.
I had a specialist correct the misalignment in my posture.
There had been a twist in his character since childhood.
The strains of economic growth were exposed as distortions in society.
変形 refers neutrally to a change in shape or deformation, whereas 歪み specifically implies an unwanted or unnatural warping.
ねじれ describes a twisting distortion (like a rope or beam twisting), while 歪み covers any kind of bending or warping, not just twisting.
偏り means a bias or imbalance in thinking or distribution, while 歪み in its metaphorical sense refers more broadly to an unhealthy twist or flaw in character.
デフォルメ is a deliberate, often positive artistic choice, while 歪み usually describes unintended or negative distortion.
撓み refers to elastic bending or sag under a load (like a beam flexing), while 歪み refers to a lasting warp or distortion out of the original shape.
Standard kanji spelling for the common reading ゆがみ.
Obsolete reading; the same kanji form can be read いがみ in older texts.
Kana spelling is acceptable and may be used for clarity or in informal writing.
Derived from the verb 歪む (ゆがむ, to become distorted). The kanji 歪 is composed of 不 (not) and 正 (correct), suggesting something that is not straight or proper.