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On'yomi
アク・オ
AKU / O
Kun'yomi
わる.い・わる-・あ.し・にく.い・-にく.い・ああ・いずくに・いずくんぞ・にく.む
warui / waru / ashi / nikui / nikui / aa / izukuni / izukunzo / nikumu

bad · vice · rascal · false · evil · wrong

naturedark

Details

Strokes11
Frequency#530
Radicalheart(4)
Old Form

Stroke Order

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Strokes11

Component Breakdown

=

top-bottom: 亜 + heart

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of sub (亜) and heart (心). State of distorted heart.

Symbolism

Evil, wicked, bad. '悪' is not always absolute evil - context matters.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Tale of good triumphing over evil

Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

悪因悪果

あくいんあっか

sow evil and reap evil; evil acts bring evil outcomes; sow evil and reap evil

悪逆無道

あくぎゃくむどう

treacherous; heinous; treasonous; treacherous

悪口雑言

あっこうぞうごん

all kinds of malicious gossip; heaping verbal abuse (on); cursing and swearing (words); all kinds of malicious gossip

悪戦苦闘

あくせんくとう

hard fighting; hard struggle; fighting against heavy odds; hard fighting

勧善懲悪

かんぜんちょうあく

rewarding good and punishing evil; poetic justice; rewarding good and punishing evil

自己嫌悪

じこけんお

self-hatred; self-abhorrence; self-loathing; self-hatred

悪衣悪食

あくいあくしょく

shabby clothes and plain foods; shabby clothes and plain foods

悪事千里

あくじせんり

bad news traveling fast; ill news spreading like wildfire; bad news traveling fast

極悪非道

ごくあくひどう

inhuman; heinous; atrocious; inhuman

悪逆非道

あくぎゃくひどう

heinous; treacherous; atrocious; heinous

悪人正機

あくにんしょうき

The evil persons are the right object of Amida's salvation; The evil persons have the unique opportunity to go to heaven; The evil persons are the right object of Amida's salvation

悪木盗泉

あくぼくとうせん

a virtuous person should not commit an act that offends their moral principles no matter how hard pressed they may be; a virtuous person should not commit an act that offends their moral principles no matter how hard pressed they may be

是非善悪

ぜひぜんあく

rights and wrongs; the relative merits (of a case); propriety; rights and wrongs

Proverbs & Idioms

悪事千里を走る

あくじせんりをはしる

Bad news travels fast

Rumors of wrongdoing spread quickly