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
悪癖
あくへき (akuheki)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "bad" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between わるい and 悪癖.
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, 悪癖 (あくへき (akuheki)) maps to "bad habit, vice" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents A specific term for a harmful or undesirable habit that is often difficult to break, such as smoking, nail-biting, or procrastination.. 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 "悪癖"
彼は早起きできないという悪癖がある。
He has a bad habit of not being able to wake up early.
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.". "悪癖" represents "bad habit, vice".