Japanese Conversation · Level 125
60 words
Japanese word
あく
Pronunciation
Romajiaku
Meaning
- nounevil
Example
その物語では、あくが最後に負けます。so no monogatari de wa a ku ga sai go ni ma ke ma su
In the story, evil loses in the end.
More examples
人の心には、ときどきあくが芽生えます。hito no kokoro ni wa to ki do ki a ku ga me ba e ma su
Evil sometimes takes root in people's hearts.
Core concept
Its two unrelated senses refer to wrongdoing on one hand and a bitter, alkaline cooking substance on the other.
Common phrases
善とあくzen to a ku
good and evil
あくを退けるa ku o shirizo ke ru
drive away evil
あくに染まるa ku ni so ma ru
be corrupted by evil
Similar words
邪悪jaaku: A quality or power marked by extreme moral wrongness.
悪意akui: A wish to harm someone or cause trouble.
悪事akuji: An action that violates moral or social rules.
悪行akugyō: A wicked deed that causes moral harm.
Definition in Japanese
善に反する行為や性質、または人に害を与える悪い力。また、灰から作るアルカリ性の液や、食材の渋み・苦み。zen ni han su ru kō i ya sei shitsu ma ta wa hito ni gai o ata e ru waru i chikara ma ta hai ka ra tsuku ru a ru ka ri sei no eki ya shoku zai no shibu mi niga mi
Word origin
The two senses have different written forms: 悪 (aku, "bad; evil") represents the moral sense, and 灰汁 (aku, "lye") combines 灰 (hai, "ash") with 汁 (shiru, "liquid") to denote liquid drawn from ash.
Usage tips
- The recipe term 灰汁抜き (akunuki) refers to removing bitterness or astringency from ingredients, showing why context matters for this homophone.