Translation and Meaning of: 悪 - aku

If you have ever watched an anime or read a manga, you have probably come across the word 悪 (あく), which means "evil" or "wickedness." But do you know where it comes from, how it is used in everyday Japanese, or even how to memorize it efficiently? In this article, we will explore the etymology, practical use, and even some curiosities about this kanji that is so present in Japanese pop culture. Additionally, if you use Anki or another spaced repetition method, you will find practical examples to boost your studies.

Many people search on Google not only for the meaning of 悪, but also its origin, how to write it correctly, and even common phrases that use this word. And that is exactly what you will discover here. The kanji 悪 appears in terms such as 悪人 (あくにん) (villain) and 悪魔 (あくま) (demon), showing how it is linked to negative concepts. But has it always had this connotation? Let's unravel this and other questions next.

Origin and etymology of the kanji 悪

The kanji 悪 has an interesting history. It is composed of two radicals: the radical for "heart" (心) at the bottom and an upper element that suggests something "wrong" or "twisted." Together, they convey the idea of a heart that is not in the right place, meaning evil. This visual construction helps to understand why this character carries such a negative meaning.

In ancient China, where the kanjis originated, the character was already used to represent concepts like "bad" or "wrong." When the Japanese adopted the Chinese writing system, they maintained this meaning but adapted the pronunciation to あく (aku) and わる (waru), depending on the context. Interestingly, in some regional dialects of Japan, the word may have slightly different nuances, but overall, the meaning remains the same.

Everyday use and popular expressions

In daily life, Japanese people use 悪 in various situations. For example, if someone does something wrong, they might hear a 悪いね (warui ne) – something like "that's ugly, huh?". But the word also appears in lighter contexts, such as in 悪ふざけ (warufuzake), which means "bad taste joke". It’s a term that everyone knows, from children to adults.

In pop culture, 悪 is often associated with villains and antagonists. Who hasn't seen an anime character being called 悪役 (akuyaku), the famous "villain role"? And it doesn't stop there: even in games like Pokémon, the "Dark" type is called あく in the original. If you're a fan of animes or games, you already have a great association to memorize this word.

Tips for memorization and curiosities

An easy way to remember the kanji 悪 is to think of the heart radical (心) underneath something "crooked." Imagine a heart that doesn't beat at the right rhythm – that already gives an idea of wickedness. Another tip is to associate it with words you already know, such as 悪魔 (akuma, demon), very common in horror and fantasy stories.

Did you know that, in some contexts, 悪 can even have a lighter tone? For example, among friends, saying 悪くない (warukunai) can mean "not bad" or "it's actually good." It's one of those cases where intonation and context change everything. So, have you thought about how you would use this word in your next conversation in Japanese?

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 悪意 (aku-i) - bad intention
• 悪質 (akushitsu) - wickedness or malice in character or quality
• 悪徳 (akutoku) - vices or immoralities
• 悪霊 (akuryō) - evil spirit
• 悪人 (aku-nin) - bad person or villain
• 悪化 (akka) - deterioration or worsening
• 悪癖 (aku-heki) - addiction or bad habit
• 悪習 (aku-shū) - bad habits or harmful practices
• 悪事 (akuji) - evil act or crime
• 悪口 (warukuchi) - slander or gossip
• 悪戯 (itazura) - mischief or malicious prank
• 悪夢 (akumu) - Nightmare
• 悪い (warui) - bad
• 悪しき (ashiki) - malicious, vicious or miserable (used to describe something or someone negatively)

悪

Romaji: aku
Kana: あく
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: bad; evil

Meaning in English: Evil, bad, wickedness

Definition: A concept that opposes good. It refers to morally questionable speech or behavior.

Example Sentences - (悪) aku

See below some example sentences:

乾燥した空気は肌に悪い影響を与えます。

Kansō shita kūki wa hada ni warui eikyō o ataemasu

Dry air can have a negative effect on the skin.

Dry air has a bad effect on the skin.

• 乾燥した - dry
• 空気 - I'm sorry, but there seems to be no text provided for translation. Please share the content you'd like translated from Portuguese to English.
• 肌 - pele
• 悪い - bad
• 影響 - influence
• 与えます - cause

アルコールは健康に悪いです。

Arukōru wa kenkō ni warui desu

Alcohol is bad for your health.

Alcohol is bad for health.

• アルコール - alcohol
• は - Topic particle
• 健康 - health
• に - target indication particle
• 悪い - bad, harmful
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

過労は健康に悪影響を与える可能性がある。

Karō wa kenkō ni aku eikyō o ataeru kanōsei ga aru

Overworking can have a negative impact on health.

• 過労 - excessive fatigue
• は - Topic particle
• 健康 - health
• に - target particle
• 悪影響 - negative effect
• を - object particle
• 与える - cause
• 可能性 - possibility
• が - subject particle
• ある - exist

過剰な消費は地球環境に悪影響を与える。

Kajō na shōhi wa chikyū kankyō ni aku eikyō o ataeru

Excess consumption has a negative impact on the Earth's environment.

Excess consumption has a negative effect on the global environment.

• 過剰な消費 - excess consumption
• は - Article indicating the subject/topic of the sentence
• 地球環境 - global environment
• に - particle indicating the indirect object of the sentence
• 悪影響 - negative impact
• を - article indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 与える - dar, causar

過多な食べ物は健康に悪影響を与えます。

Kata na tabemono wa kenkou ni aku eikyou wo ataemasu

Excessive food intake has a negative impact on health.

Overeating has a negative effect on health.

• 過多な - excessive
• 食べ物 - food
• は - Topic particle
• 健康 - health
• に - target particle
• 悪影響 - negative effect
• を - object particle
• 与えます - cause

酸性の飲み物は歯に悪いです。

Sansei no nomimono wa ha ni warui desu

Acidic drinks are bad for the teeth.

Acidic drinks are bad for your teeth.

• 酸性の - acid
• 飲み物 - Drink
• は - Topic particle
• 歯 - Teeth
• に - particle indicating target
• 悪い - bad
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

足元が悪いと転びやすいです。

Ashimoto ga warui to korobi yasui desu

If the floor is bad

It's easy to fall if your feet are bad.

• 足元 - means "around the feet" or "floor" in Japanese.
• が - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 悪い - adjective that means "bad" or "evil".
• と - grammatical particle that indicates a condition or situation.
• 転びやすい - verb meaning "easy to fall" or "prone to tripping."
• です - linking verb indicating a statement or assertion.

経済の悪化が深刻化しています。

Keizai no akka ga shinkokka shiteimasu

The deterioration of the economy is getting worse.

The economy is getting worse.

• 経済 (keizai) - economy
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 悪化 (akka) - worsening, deterioration
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 深刻化 (shinkokka) - aggravation, intensification
• しています (shiteimasu) - polite form of the verb "suru" (to do)

汚染は環境に悪影響を与えます。

Osen wa kankyou ni aku eikyou wo ataemasu

Pollution has a negative impact on the environment.

Pollution has a negative effect on the environment.

• 汚染 (ossen) - pollution
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 環境 (kankyou) - Environment
• に (ni) - target particle
• 悪影響 (akueikyou) - negative effect
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 与えます (ataemasu) - cause

欠乏は健康に悪影響を与える可能性があります。

Kekkou wa kenkou ni aku eikyou wo ataeru kanousei ga arimasu

Lack can have a negative effect on health.

Laws can have a negative effect on your health.

• 欠乏 (Kekkaku) - lack, scarcity
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 健康 (kenkou) - health
• に (ni) - target particle
• 悪影響 (aku eikyou) - negative effect, negative impact
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 与える (ataeru) - Dar, fornecer
• 可能性 (kanousei) - possibility
• が (ga) - subject particle
• あります (arimasu) - exist, have