Let's dive into 悪い (warui). This is an A2 level adjective, meaning 'bad,' 'evil,' or 'poor.' It's a super common word, and you'll hear it in all sorts of situations. Don't just stick to 'bad' when you think of 悪い; its meaning can shift quite a bit depending on the context. Knowing these nuances will make you sound much more natural.
§ 悪い at Work
In a work setting, 悪い can describe performance, quality, or even a situation. It's usually pretty direct, so pay attention to how it's used with different nouns.
- DEFINITION
- Referring to poor performance or a negative outcome.
彼の営業成績は最近悪いです。
His sales performance has been poor recently.
この製品の品質はあまり悪いです。
The quality of this product is quite bad.
You might also use it when apologizing or describing a negative situation that impacts work.
連絡が遅れて悪いです。
My apologies for the late contact (literally: the contact being late is bad).
§ 悪い at School
At school, 悪い frequently pops up in discussions about grades, behavior, or even health. It's straightforward: something isn't good.
- DEFINITION
- Describing grades, behavior, or general well-being as undesirable.
彼女は試験の成績が悪いと落ち込んでいた。
She was depressed because her exam grades were poor.
彼の授業態度が悪いので、先生は心配している。
His attitude in class is bad, so the teacher is worried.
It's also used to talk about how someone feels, especially when they're not well.
体調が悪いので、今日は学校を休みます。
I'm not feeling well (literally: my physical condition is bad), so I'll be absent from school today.
§ 悪い in the News
In news reports, 悪い is often used to describe negative situations, economic conditions, or criminal activities. Here, it can take on a more serious tone, sometimes closer to 'evil' or 'grave'.
- DEFINITION
- Describing critical situations, moral wrongdoing, or economic downturns.
経済状況がさらに悪い方向へ向かっている。
The economic situation is heading in an even bad (worse) direction.
その政治家は悪い噂が絶えない。
There are endless bad rumors about that politician.
It can also describe the severity of a situation or the conditions.
天候が悪いため、飛行機が欠航になりました。
Due to bad weather, the flight was cancelled.
So, whether you're talking about a bad sales report, poor grades, or a grave economic situation, 悪い is your go-to word. Just remember to consider the context to get the right nuance.
دليل النطق
- Often mispronounced with a long 'a' sound instead of a short one.
- The 'i' at the end can be dropped in casual speech, but should be pronounced in formal contexts.
اختبر نفسك 18 أسئلة
Write a short sentence describing something that is 'bad' using 悪い.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
このりんごは悪いです。
Complete the sentence: 彼はとても悪い___。
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼はとても悪い人です。
Translate the sentence 'The weather is bad today' into Japanese using 悪い.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
今日は悪い天気です。
What is the speaker's opinion of the book?
Read this passage:
この本は悪いです。とてもつまらないです。私はこの本を読みたくありません。
What is the speaker's opinion of the book?
The passage says 'この本は悪いです' which means 'This book is bad'.
The passage says 'この本は悪いです' which means 'This book is bad'.
What does B think about the food?
Read this passage:
A: この食べ物はおいしいですか？ B: いいえ、これは悪いです。
What does B think about the food?
B says 'これは悪いです' which means 'This is bad'.
B says 'これは悪いです' which means 'This is bad'.
What kind of dream did the speaker have?
Read this passage:
私は悪い夢を見ました。とても怖かったです。
What kind of dream did the speaker have?
The passage states '私は悪い夢を見ました' (I had a bad dream) and then 'とても怖かったです' (It was very scary), indicating a scary dream.
The passage states '私は悪い夢を見ました' (I had a bad dream) and then 'とても怖かったです' (It was very scary), indicating a scary dream.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼の行動は___。
The sentence means 'His actions are bad.' '悪い' (warui) fits the meaning of describing negative actions.
Which of these sentences correctly uses 悪い (warui)?
悪い (warui) can be used to describe bad weather. The other options are grammatically awkward or unnatural.
When apologizing, which phrase uses 悪い (warui) correctly?
悪かった (warukatta) is the past tense of 悪い (warui) and is often used informally to mean 'I was wrong' or 'My bad' when apologizing.
悪い (warui) can be used to describe something of poor quality.
Yes, 悪い (warui) can mean 'poor' in terms of quality, such as in 悪い品質 (warui hinshitsu - poor quality).
You can use 悪い (warui) to describe someone who is physically ill.
When used in phrases like 気分が悪い (kibun ga warui), it means 'feeling unwell' or 'nauseous'.
In Japanese, 'I'm sorry' can be expressed by simply saying '悪い (warui)'.
While 悪かった (warukatta) can be an informal apology, simply '悪い (warui)' is not a common standalone way to apologize. More common phrases include ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) or すみません (sumimasen).
この状況では、何が一番「悪い」選択肢だと思いますか？
「悪い」選択肢として、この文脈では倫理的に問題がある行動を指します。真実を隠すことは、長期的に見てより多くの問題を引き起こす可能性があります。
彼の行動は、社会に「悪い」影響を与えかねません。この文脈での「悪い」に最も近い意味はどれでしょう？
「社会に悪い影響を与える」という表現は、社会にとって不利益な、害のある影響を意味します。
「悪い」評判は一度ついてしまうと、なかなか払拭するのが難しいものです。この文脈で「悪い」が指すのは？
「悪い評判」とは、世間から良くない、否定的な評価を受けている状態を指します。
「あの会社の経営状況は悪い」という文は、その会社が経済的に困難な状況にあることを意味する。
経営状況が悪いとは、通常、財務状況が思わしくなく、経済的に苦しい状態にあることを指します。
「悪い知らせが届いた」という時、「悪い」は必ずしも悲劇的な内容を指すわけではなく、単に期待に反する内容を指すこともある。
「悪い知らせ」は、期待に反する結果や、望ましくない情報全般を指し、必ずしも悲劇的な出来事だけを意味するものではありません。
「悪い」という言葉は、常に倫理的な非難を伴う。
「悪い」は文脈によって「質が低い」や「健康状態が良くない」など、倫理的な非難を伴わない意味でも使われます。
/ 18 correct
Perfect score!
محتوى ذو صلة
مزيد من كلمات general
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
