Japanese word

意地悪

Pronunciation

Romajiijiwaru

Meaning

  • na-adjectivemean

Example

彼は意地悪です。kare wa i ji waru de su

He is mean.

Illustration for 意地悪 (mean)

More examples

彼女は弟に意地悪な質問をして、困らせました。kano jo wa otōto ni i ji waru na shitsu mon o shi te koma ra se ma shi ta

She asked her little brother a mean question and made him uncomfortable.

Core concept

Describes an unkind attitude or action that treats another person harshly or causes needless difficulty.

Common phrases

  • 意地悪な人i ji waru na hito

    mean person

  • 意地悪な質問i ji waru na shitsu mon

    mean question

  • 意地悪な冗談i ji waru na jō dan

    mean joke

Similar words

不親切fushinsetsu: Describes a lack of kindness or helpfulness toward another person.
無神経mushinkei: Describes behavior that ignores other people's feelings or needs.
冷淡reitan: Describes an attitude that shows little warmth or concern for others.
陰険inken: Describes secretly harmful behavior that is difficult for others to detect.

Definition in Japanese

相手にわざと不親切な態度をとったり、困らせたりする性質があるさま。ai te ni wa za to fu shin setsu na tai do o to tta ri koma ra se ta ri su ru sei shitsu ga a ru sa ma

Word origin

意地 (iji, "disposition") combines with 悪い (warui, "bad") to form 意地悪 (ijiwaru), based on the idea of having a bad disposition.

Usage tips

  • 意地悪 (ijiwaru) often highlights deliberate unkindness, so it can describe teasing or making things difficult as well as a generally mean attitude.

Other meanings

  • nastyna-adjective
  • maliciousna-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 意地悪さijiwarusameannessnoun

Word lists with this word