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Quadruple VS

Synonym Boundary: "不良", "凶作", "悪癖", "陋習"

All represent the core concept "bad", but require precise selection.

Japanese Option A

不良

ふりょう (furyō)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

凶作

きょうさく (kyōsaku)
N2 / CEFR
Japanese Option C

悪癖

あくへき (akuheki)
N2 / CEFR
Japanese Option D

陋習

ろうしゅう (rōshū)
N1 / CEFR

Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "bad" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "不良", "凶作", "悪癖", "陋習" based on context.
  • 不良 (ふりょう (furyō) - Level: N3): Maps to "bad, poor (quality); delinquent (person); defect" and is used when Can be a noun meaning a defect or a delinquent person.
  • 凶作 (きょうさく (kyōsaku) - Level: N2): Maps to "bad harvest, poor crop, crop failure" and is used when Refers to a poor agricultural yield due to unfavorable weather, disease, or other factors, indicating a severe reduction in harvest..
  • 悪癖 (あくへき (akuheki) - Level: N2): Maps to "bad habit, vice" and is used when A specific term for a harmful or undesirable habit that is often difficult to break, such as smoking, nail-biting, or procrastination..
  • 陋習 (ろうしゅう (rōshū) - Level: N1): Maps to "bad custom; evil practice; obsolete practice" and is used when Refers to old, outdated, or harmful customs and practices that should be abolished. Has a formal and slightly critical tone..
Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!
Context for "不良"
この製品には不良がありました。
This product had a defect.
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.
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.
Context for "陋習"
その会社には長年続いている陋習がいくつか残っている。
Several long-standing bad customs still remain in that company.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "この製品には ___ がありました。" (Meaning: "This product had a defect.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "不良" is correct here because it represents "bad, poor (quality); delinquent (person); defect" in the context: "This product had a defect.".

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