How to say "ominous" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 不吉ふきつna-adjective, nounCovers 'ominous' in the sense of foreboding misfortune or bad luck, and 'inauspicious'. Use it for signs, dreams, or feelings that suggest something bad is going to happen.
- 不気味ぶきみna-adjectiveCovers 'ominous' in the sense of eerie, creepy, or unsettling. Use it when something inspires a strange, creeping dread rather than a prediction of misfortune; it also commonly means just 'weird'.
Use 不吉 for things that foretell bad luck or misfortune, and 不気味 for things that feel eerie or creepy; both can translate 'ominous', but they differ in whether the threat is doom or unease.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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