Translation and Meaning of: 醜い - minikui

The word 「醜い」 (minikui) is a Japanese adjective that means "ugly" or "unsightly." This word is made up of two kanji: 「醜」 which means ugly or unpleasant, and the ending 「い」, used to form i-adjectives in Japanese. The kanji 「醜」 itself is a combination of radicals that refer to something impure or repulsive, which helps convey the overall sense of ugliness of the word.

Etymologically, the kanji 「醜」 has the radical 「鬼」 which is the ideogram for "demon" or "evil spirit," combined with the radical "sake" 「酉」, which is often used in characters related to wines or fermentation. However, the combination of these elements in the origin of this kanji refers to the idea of something that causes discomfort or repulsion, reflecting the cultural perception of something being aesthetically negative or spiritually heavy in meaning.

"「醜い」(minikui) is not limited only to the visual aspect of a person or object, but can also be used in a broader sense to describe situations or actions perceived as morally or ethically unpleasant. In the Japanese language, adjectives that describe visual states often carry deep emotional connotations, and the use of this term can reveal much about the social and aesthetic norms of those who employ it."

In the Japanese language, we have other derived words that carry similar meanings. One example is the expression 「醜態」 (shuutai), which means shameful conduct or deplorable behavior. Thus, we can observe that the concept of "ugliness" in Japanese can extend to domains beyond the visual, also encompassing actions and behaviors deemed reprehensible by society.