What does 悪 mean in Japanese?
悪 means “bad, evil” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 悪い (bad), 悪口 (insult; bad-mouthing), and 最悪 (the worst).
For learners, the key is to study 悪 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: アク (aku), オ (o)
Kun’yomi: わる-い (waru-i)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 悪 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
悪 is not limited to one English translation. In 悪い (わるい), it means bad; in 悪口 (わるぐち), it points to insult; bad-mouthing; and in 最悪 (さいあく), it is used for the worst. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 悪い（わるい / warui） — bad
- 悪口（わるぐち / waruguchi） — insult; bad-mouthing
- 最悪（さいあく / saiaku） — the worst
- 悪天候（あくてんこう / akutenkō） — bad weather
- 悪化（あっか / akka） — worsening
- 善悪（ぜんあく / zenaku） — good and evil
Example Sentences
-
今日は天気が悪いです。
きょうはてんきがわるいです。 / Kyō wa tenki ga warui desu.
The weather is bad today.
-
人の悪口を言わないでください。
ひとのわるぐちをいわないでください。 / Hito no waruguchi o iwanaide kudasai.
Please do not speak badly of people.
-
電車に遅れて最悪でした。
でんしゃにおくれてさいあくでした。 / Densha ni okurete saiaku deshita.
I missed the train, and it was the worst.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 悪い (わるい / warui) because it keeps the core meaning of 悪 clear. Then add 悪口 and 最悪 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 悪 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
悪 means “bad, evil” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 悪い, 悪口, and 最悪.