How to say "hatred" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 憎しみにくしみnounThe general word for hatred as an emotion: the feeling of hating someone or something. Fits ordinary contexts such as describing the hatred between people or the hatred in someone's heart.
- 憎悪ぞうおnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers hatred in the sense of strong abhorrence or loathing, when the emotion is intense and the object is viewed with detestation. It leans literary or formal compared with 憎しみ.
- 怨念おんねんnounNot everyday 'hatred' in general; it denotes a deep-seated grudge — lingering, festering resentment held against someone, often imagined as persisting beyond the person's death.
Use 「憎しみ」 for hatred as a feeling, 憎悪 for intense abhorrence or loathing of something, and 怨念 for a deep-seated grudge, especially lingering resentment directed at someone.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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