Japanese Conversation · Level 61
75 words
Japanese word
嫌い
Pronunciation
Romajikirai
Meaning
- na-adjectivenot like, dislike
Example
私は納豆が嫌いです。watashi wa nat tō ga kira i de su
I do not like natto.
More examples
にんじんが嫌いですから、食べません。ni n ji n ga kira i de su ka ra ta be ma se n
I dislike carrots, so I do not eat them.
彼女は野菜が嫌いですが、健康のために食べます。kano jo wa ya sai ga kira i de su ga ken kō no ta me ni ta be ma su
She does not like vegetables, but she eats them for her health.
Core concept
Expresses a negative feeling toward a person, thing, or activity that the speaker does not want to accept or enjoy.
Common phrases
嫌いな野菜kira i na ya sai
vegetables I dislike
嫌いなものkira i na mo no
things I dislike
Similar words
苦手nigate: Describes a person, thing, or activity that feels difficult or uncomfortable to deal with.
嫌iya: Describes something that feels unpleasant or unwanted and is not accepted willingly.
大嫌いdaikirai: Expresses a particularly strong negative feeling toward a person, thing, or activity.
Definition in Japanese
人や物事を好まないさま。hito ya mono goto o kono ma na i sa ma
Word origin
As a native Japanese formation, 嫌い (kirai, "dislike") is based on the verb 嫌う (kirau, "to dislike") and uses its stem 嫌い (kirai) as an adjectival noun.
Usage tips
- In simple conversation, 嫌い (kirai) usually expresses dislike, while English hate often sounds stronger than the Japanese word.