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
凶作
きょうさく (kyōsaku)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "bad" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 悪い and 凶作.
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, 凶作 (きょうさく (kyōsaku)) maps to "bad harvest, poor crop, crop failure" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Refers to a poor agricultural yield due to unfavorable weather, disease, or other factors, indicating a severe reduction in harvest.. 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 "凶作"
今年は長雨のせいで米が凶作だった。
This year, the rice crop was poor due to the long rain.
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.". "凶作" represents "bad harvest, poor crop, crop failure".