Japanese word

悪人

Pronunciation

Romajiakunin

Meaning

  • nounbad person

Example

彼は悪人です。kare wa aku nin de su

He is a bad person.

Illustration for 悪人 (bad person)

More examples

見た目だけで彼を悪人だと判断してはいけません。mi ta me da ke de kare o aku nin da to han dan shi te wa i ke ma se n

You must not judge him to be a bad person based only on his appearance.

Core concept

Places a person on the harmful side of a moral contrast, including a real wrongdoer or a fictional villain.

Common phrases

  • 悪人の仲間aku nin no naka ma

    an associate of bad people

  • 悪人を演じるaku nin o en ji ru

    play a bad person

  • 悪人と呼ぶaku nin to yo bu

    call someone a bad person

Similar words

悪者warumono: A person described in casual speech or stories as bad or harmful.
悪党akutō: A person who behaves dishonestly or does serious wrong, often as a villain.
極悪人gokuakunin: A person whose character or conduct is extremely wicked.

Definition in Japanese

社会の規範に背く悪い行いをする人。sha kai no ki han ni somu ku waru i okona i o su ru hito

Word origin

悪人 (akunin) joins 悪 (aku, "bad") with 人 (nin, "person") and names a person regarded as bad in character or behavior.

Usage tips

  • 悪人 (akunin) is broader than a label for a criminal because it judges a person's character or conduct without naming a particular lawbreaking act.

Other meanings

  • villainnoun
  • wrongdoernoun

Opposites

  • 善人zenningood personnoun

Word lists with this word