How to say "disgusting" in Japanese

• キモイCommon
  i-adjectiveCovers the visceral 'gross!' reaction to something revolting to see or hear. Slangy and casual, it is a shortened form of 気持ち悪い, so it suits exclamations in relaxed conversation.
• 苦々しいにがにがしいCommon
  i-adjectiveCovers 'disgusting' as bitter distaste at someone's conduct rather than physical revulsion: it describes your own sour, disapproving feeling toward behavior you find loathsome or shameful.
  私はそれをとても苦々にがにがしく思おもう。↗

  I'm very bitter about that.
• 忌まわしいいまわしいCommon
  i-adjectiveCovers the gravest sense of 'disgusting': abhorrent, detestable things such as terrible deeds, events, or memories. Its force is strong, so it goes beyond everyday 'this is gross' reactions.
  考かんがえるだけでも忌いまわしい。↗

  The very thought is abhorrent to me.
• 気持ち悪いきもちわるいCommon
  i-adjectiveThe everyday word for physical disgust: something revolting or repulsive that makes you feel sick, from sights and smells to creepy behavior. When 'disgusting' means 'gross!', this is usually the word you want.
  なんかそれ、ブヨブヨしていて気持きもち悪わるいね。↗

  Oooh, gross! What is that stuff? It's all spongy.
• いやJLPT N5approx.Common
  na-adjectiveA broad, mild word for anything unpleasant, disagreeable, or nasty. It only sometimes amounts to 'disgusting'; for genuine revulsion, 気持ち悪い is the better choice, while いや covers simple dislike and aversion.
  この卵たまごは嫌いやな匂においがする。↗

  This egg has a bad smell.

Use 「気持ち悪い」, or its slangy short form 「キモイ」, for visceral 'gross' reactions; 「苦々しい」 for bitter disapproval of someone's conduct; 「忌まわしい」 for abhorrent deeds or memories; 「いや」 only for milder, general unpleasantness.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• キモいgross
• 苦々しいにがにがしいunpleasant
• 忌まわしいいまわしいabhorrent
• 気持ち悪いきもちわるいunpleasant
• グロいgrotesque
• 胸糞が悪いむなくそがわるいdisgusting
• 胸糞悪いむなくそわるいdisgusting
• 汚らしいきたならしいdirty-looking
• きしょいgross
• 厭わしいいとわしいdetestable
• 鼻持ちならぬはなもちならぬintolerable
• いけ好かないいけすかないnasty
• 気色悪いきしょくわるいweird
• 気色が悪いきしょくがわるいweird
• 気色の悪いきしょくのわるいweird
• きめぇgross
• 感じ悪いかんじわるいbad (feeling, impression, attitude)
• きんもーgross
• えげつないdirty
• おぞましいappalling
• 汚らわしいけがらわしいfilthy
• 気持ちが悪いきもちがわるいunpleasant
• えぐいnasty
• いやunpleasant
• 最低さいていawful
• 胸糞むなくそdisgusting
• おぞいdisgusting
• 鼻持ちならないはなもちならないintolerable (behaviour, attitude, etc.)