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synonym Comparative
意地悪な
VS
あくどい

Differences Between "意地悪な" and "あくどい"

Option A
意地悪な
Meaning
mean, nasty, ill-natured
Reading
いじわるな (ijiwaru na)
Syllabus Level
N3
Practical Example
意地悪な人は嫌いです。
I dislike mean people.
Option B
あくどい
Meaning
(taste) rich, heavy; (method) nasty, unscrupulous, cunning, crooked
Reading
あくどい (akudoi)
Syllabus Level
N2
Practical Example
あの会社はあくどい商売をしていると評判だ。
That company has a reputation for doing unscrupulous business.

Which one to use?

Select the correct Japanese word for this context

Which word fits this context: "(mean, nasty, ill-natured)"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- 意地悪な: 「な」adjective used to describe a person's unkind personality or actions. Implies malicious intent. (人柄や行動が親切ではないことを表す「な」形容詞。悪意があることを示唆する。)
- あくどい: Used for something (e.g., taste, color, or especially methods/schemes) that is excessively strong, unfair, or dishonest. (味や色がしつこい、またやり方が非常に悪質でずる賢い様子を表す形容詞です。)
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