Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Bad" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "bad", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
悪い
わるい (warui)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
不調
ふちょう (fuchou)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "bad" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 悪い and 不調.
In Japanese, 悪い (わるい (warui)) is typically associated with "bad, wrong" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Describes something negative, poor quality, or incorrect. Can also be used to apologize informally.
On the other hand, 不調 (ふちょう (fuchou)) maps to "bad condition, poor form, out of order, discord" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Refers to a poor physical or mental condition. A literal translation of "bad" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "悪い"
天気が悪いです。
The weather is bad.
Bilingual Context for "不調"
最近、体の不調が続いていて病院に行った。
I've been feeling unwell lately, so I went to the hospital.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "天気が ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "The weather is bad.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "悪い" fits here because it means "bad, wrong" in the context of: "The weather is bad.". "不調" represents "bad condition, poor form, out of order, discord".