Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "悪い", "わるい", "悪癖", "陋習"
All represent the core concept "bad", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
悪い
わるい (warui)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
わるい
悪い (warui)
N5 / 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 "悪い", "わるい", "悪癖", "陋習" based on context.
- 悪い (わるい (warui) - Level: N5): Maps to "bad, wrong" and is used when Describes something negative, poor quality, or incorrect. Can also be used to apologize informally.
- わるい (悪い (warui) - Level: N5): Maps to "bad, evil, wrong" and is used when A general i-adjective for "bad".
- 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陋習 (ろうしゅう (rōshū) - Level: N1): Maps to "bad custom; evil practice; obsolete practice" and is used when Refers to old, outdated, or harmful customs and practices that should be abolished.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..
Context for "悪い"
天気が悪いです。
The weather is bad.
Context for "わるい"
今日は天気が悪いです。
The weather is bad today.
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: "天気が ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "The weather is bad.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "悪い" is correct here because it represents "bad, wrong" in the context: "The weather is bad.".