How to say "disgraceful" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- i-adjectiveA general word for conduct or appearance that looks bad and embarrasses those involved; it fits unbecoming behavior in public or an unsightly, indecent appearance.人前でああいうみっともないことはするな。↗Don't do such a shameful thing in public.
- i-adjectiveCovers 'disgraceful' in the sense of improper, immodest conduct — behavior that betrays a lack of manners or modesty — rather than anything ugly to look at.
- 見苦しいみぐるしいi-adjectiveUsed both of appearance that is unpleasant to look at and, figuratively, of unseemly conduct — a petty quarrel or a defeat that is sorry to watch.
- 醜悪しゅうあくna-adjective, nounReally means 'hideous; ugly', sometimes with the sense of 'mean'; it is only a marginal way to say 'disgraceful', fitting when you want to stress how repulsively ugly something is.
- 不見識ふけんしきna-adjective, nounSeldom the word you want for plain 'disgraceful': it means thoughtless and indiscreet, criticizing behavior that shows a lack of common sense rather than something shameful to see.
Choose 「みっともない」 for unbecoming conduct or appearance, 「はしたない」 for improper or immodest behavior, 「見苦しい」 for unseemly conduct painful to watch; 醜悪 really means hideous and 不見識 indiscreet.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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