Describes people, actions, or intentions that are morally bad or malevolent. Often used in serious or dramatic contexts.
He gave a wicked smile.
He is known as an evil person.
A wicked witch appears in that story.
An evil thought lurked in her heart.
The villain flashed a sinister smirk.
An evil intention was hidden behind that proposal.
悪 is a broader term for 'evil' or 'badness', while 邪悪 specifically emphasizes a twisted, malevolent nature.
邪 is a bound morpheme meaning 'wicked' or 'unjust', often used in compounds, while 邪悪 is a full word that can stand alone.
邪悪 is a stronger, more explicit word for evil or wickedness, while 邪 is milder and usually appears in set phrases like 邪な考え.
邪悪 means simply wicked or evil, while 奸 adds the nuance of cunning scheming alongside the wickedness.
邪悪 suggests a sinister, malicious nature, while 極悪 emphasizes the extreme degree of evil in acts or people.
邪悪 is a formal, literary word for wickedness, while 悪い is the everyday adjective covering both moral and non-moral badness.
邪悪 describes a wicked, malevolent nature, while 善良 describes a good-natured, virtuous character.
邪悪 means 'wicked, evil', whereas 邪魔 (sharing the kanji 邪) means 'hindrance, obstacle' and has nothing to do with morality.
Compound of 邪 (ja, 'wicked, unjust') and 悪 (aku, 'evil, bad'). The combination reinforces the sense of deep moral corruption.