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:

ストレスは健康に悪影響を与える可能性があります。

Sutoresu wa kenkō ni aku eikyō o ataeru kanōsei ga arimasu

Stress can have a negative impact on health.

Stress can have a negative effect on your health.

• ストレス - Japanese word meaning "stress"
• は - Particle in Japanese that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "stress"
• 健康 - Word in Japanese that means "health"
• に - Particle in Japanese that indicates the relationship between "stress" and "health", in this case, "affects health"
• 悪影響 - Japanese word meaning "negative effect"
• を - particle in Japanese that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "negative effect"
• 与える - Japanese verb that means "to cause"
• 可能性 - Word in Japanese that means "possibility"
• が - particle in Japanese that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case, "possibility"
• あります - Verb in Japanese that means "to exist", in this case, "there is a possibility"
• . - period to indicate the end of the sentence

タバコを吸うのは健康に悪いです。

Tabako wo suu no wa kenkou ni warui desu

Smoking is harmful to health.

Smoking cigarettes is bad for your health.

• タバコ - tobacco - cigarette
• を - wo - direct object particle
• 吸う - suu - smoke, inhale
• のは - no wa - Topic particle
• 健康 - kenkou - health
• に - ni - target particle
• 悪い - warui - bad, harmful
• です - is (a Japanese copula, often used to indicate a state of being) Verb to be/estar

プラスチックは環境に悪影響を与えることがあります。

Purasuchikku wa kankyō ni aku eikyō o ataeru koto ga arimasu

Plastic can have a negative impact on the environment.

Plastic can have a negative effect on the environment.

• プラスチック - Word in Japanese that means "plastic"
• は - particle in Japanese that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 環境 - Japanese word meaning "environment"
• に - particle in Japanese that indicates the relationship of something with something else
• 悪影響 - Japanese word meaning "negative effect"
• を - particle in Japanese that indicates the object of the sentence
• 与える - Japanese verb that means "to cause"
• こと - noun in Japanese that means "thing"
• が - Particle in Japanese that indicates the subject of the sentence
• あります - verb in Japanese that means "to exist"

下水は環境に悪い影響を与える可能性があります。

Kasui wa kankyō ni warui eikyō o ataeru kanōsei ga arimasu

Sewage can have a bad effect on the environment.

• 下水 (gesui) - wastewater
• 環境 (kankyo) - environment
• 悪い (warui) - bad
• 影響 (eikyo) - influence, effect
• 与える (ataeru) - cause, give
• 可能性 (kanousei) - possibility
• あります (arimasu) - there is, there is

不規則な生活は健康に悪影響を与える。

Fukisoku na seikatsu wa kenkou ni aku eikyou wo ataeru

An irregular lifestyle negatively affects health.

An irregular life has a negative effect on health.

• 不規則な - irregular
• 生活 - lifestyle
• は - partícula que indica o tópico da frase
• 健康に - para saúde
• 悪影響を - negative impact
• 与える - dar

人を欺くことは悪いことです。

Hito wo azamuku koto wa warui koto desu

It's bad to deceive people.

• 人 - means "person" in Japanese.
• を - Object particle in Japanese.
• 欺く - verb meaning "to deceive" or "to delude" in Japanese.
• こと - noun meaning "thing" or "fact" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle in Japanese.
• 悪い - adjective that means "bad" or "evil" in Japanese.
• こと - noun meaning "thing" or "fact" in Japanese.
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate an affirmation or a statement.

化繊は環境に悪影響を与える可能性がある。

Kasen wa kankyō ni aku eikyō o ataeru kanōsei ga aru

Synthetic fibers may have an adverse effect on the environment.

• 化繊 - abbreviation of "chemical fiber", refers to synthetic fabrics produced from chemical products.
• は - topic particle, indicates that the subject of the sentence is "化繊".
• 環境 - environment, environment.
• に - location particle, indicates that the negative impact is "in" the environment.
• 悪影響 - negative effect, harmful impact.
• を - direct object particle, indicates that the object of the action is "可能性 of having a negative impact on the environment".
• 与える - to cause, to have an effect on.
• 可能性 - possibility, probability.
• が - subject particle, indicates that the subject of the sentence is "可能性がある".
• ある - to exist, to have.

善し悪しは人それぞれです。

Zen shi aku shi wa hito sorezore desu

Good or bad is different for everyone.

• 善し (yoshi) - good
• 悪し (warushi) - bad
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 人 (hito) - person
• それぞれ (sorezore) - each one
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

夜更かしは健康に悪いです。

Yofukashi wa kenkou ni warui desu

Staying up late is bad for your health.

Night time is bad for your health.

• 夜更かし - means "staying up late" in Japanese.
• は - Grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 健康 - It means "health" in Japanese.
• に - grammatical particle that indicates the relationship of something to something else.
• 悪い - means "bad" in Japanese.
• です - Japanese verb "to be", used to indicate a formal statement.

彼女は意地悪な言葉を言った。

Kanojo wa ijiwaru na kotoba o itta

She said evil words.

She said an evil word.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 意地悪 (ijiwaru) - evil, cruel
• な (na) - particle modifying a noun
• 言葉 (kotoba) - word
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 言った (itta) - he said