きらい・嫌いkirai[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N5approx.Common
Definitions
  1. na-adjective, noundisliked; hated; disagreeable
    「あなたは仕事しごとが気きに入はいっていると思おもいます」「いやそれどころか、嫌きらいです」↗
    "I think you like your job." "On the contrary, I hate it."
  2. nountendency; smack (of); touch (of)
    ジムくんは行き過いきすぎの嫌きらいがある。↗
    Jim tends to go too far.
  3. noundistinction; discrimination
Conjugation
Plain formきらい
Polite (desu)きらいです
Negative (nai)きらいではない・きらいじゃない
polite (arimasen)きらいではありません・きらいじゃありません
Past (datta)きらいだった
polite (deshita)きらいでした
Past negative (nakatta)きらいではなかった・きらいじゃなかった
polite (arimasen deshita)きらいではありませんでした・きらいじゃありませんでした
Te form (de)きらいで
Adverbial (ni)きらいに
Conditional (nara)きらいなら

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • 1.
    SynonymいやCasualColloquial; refusing or not wanting to do something right now, as in 「行くのは嫌だ」; the focus is on refusal.
  • 2.
    Synonym嫌悪けんおWrittenStronger than 「嫌い」: intense disgust or loathing, as in 「自己嫌悪」.
  • 3.
    Synonym厭悪えんおWrittenWritten/formal prose for dislike or hatred; very rare — in everyday speech just say 「嫌い」.
  • 4.
    Synonym嫌厭けんえんWrittenWritten/formal prose for aversion or distaste, as in 「嫌厭感」; very rare.
  • 5.
    Synonym嫌忌けんきWrittenWritten/formal prose for shunning or avoiding something out of dislike; rare — everyday speech uses 「嫌う」 or 「避ける」.
  • 6.
    Synonym厭忌えんきWrittenWritten/formal prose for disliking or abhorring something; very rare — everyday speech uses 「嫌う」.
  • 7.
    Related苦手にがてCasualColloquial; being bad at something or not getting along with someone — a softer, more tactful alternative to 「嫌い」.
  • 8.
    Related嫌気いやきCasualColloquial; a fed-up, weary feeling, as in 「嫌気が差す」; the focus is on being sick of something.
  • 9.
    Related憎悪ぞうおWrittenMuch stronger than 「嫌い」: intense hatred, as in 「憎悪の念」; found mainly in written/formal prose.
  • 10.
    Related反感はんかんNeutralNeutral; the antipathy you feel toward someone, as in 「反感を買う」; the focus is on feeling set against them.
  • 11.
    Related不好きぶすきNeutralNeutral in register, though very rare; plain lack of liking or interest — in everyday speech say 「好きではない」 instead.
  • 12.
    Antonym好きすきCasualColloquial; the direct opposite of 「嫌い」 — liking or being fond of someone or something.
  • 13.
    Antonym好みこのみNeutralNeutral; one's taste or preference — a related concept rather than a direct antonym of 「嫌い」.

For everyday 'dislike', use 「嫌い」. Say 「嫌」 when you don't want to do something right now, 「苦手」 to soften 'not my thing', 「嫌悪」 or 「憎悪」 for intense hatred, and 「嫌気」 for feeling fed up. 「好き」 is the opposite. 「厭悪」「嫌厭」「嫌忌」「厭忌」 are rare written words; neutral 「不好き」 is rare too.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. ある物ものを嫌きらう事こと、その気持きもち。
  2. よくない傾向けいこう。
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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