Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Bad" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "bad", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
わるい
悪い (warui)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
不良
ふりょう (furyō)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "bad" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between わるい and 不良.
In Japanese, わるい (悪い (warui)) is typically associated with "bad, evil, wrong" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents A general i-adjective for "bad".
On the other hand, 不良 (ふりょう (furyō)) maps to "bad, poor (quality); delinquent (person); defect" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Can be a noun meaning a defect or a delinquent person. A literal translation of "bad" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "わるい"
今日は天気が悪いです。
The weather is bad today.
Bilingual Context for "不良"
この製品には不良がありました。
This product had a defect.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "今日は天気が悪いです。" (Meaning: "The weather is bad today.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "わるい" fits here because it means "bad, evil, wrong" in the context of: "The weather is bad today.". "不良" represents "bad, poor (quality); delinquent (person); defect".