悪口|わるぐちwaruguchi[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. noun(verbal) abuse; speaking ill of people; bad-mouthing; name-calling; slander; abusive language; insulting remarks
   陰かげで他人たにんの悪口わるぐちを言ゆうべきでない。↗

   You should not speak ill of others behind their backs.

• Synonym悪態あくたいNeutralHarsh swear words, usually as 「悪態をつく」; it stresses venting with coarse language, while 「悪口」 stresses speaking ill of someone.
• Synonym悪たれ口あくたれぐちCasualColloquial. Nasty, snarling abuse; has a childish or rough feel.
• Synonym悪言あくげんWrittenWritten word for unkind, insulting remarks; rarely used in modern Japanese.
• Synonym悪口雑言あっこうぞうごんWrittenFour-character idiom: hurling every kind of vicious abuse; much stronger in degree than 「悪口」.
• Synonym罵詈ばりWrittenWritten word for abusive language; mostly seen in compounds such as 「罵詈雑言」.
• Synonym罵詈雑言ばりぞうごんWrittenFour-character idiom for showering someone with a torrent of abuse; very strong in degree.
• Synonym罵りののしりNeutralIntense cursing and swearing; 「悪口」 can be mere bad-mouthing, while this is outright abuse.
• Related誹謗ひぼうNeutralSpeaking ill of or slandering someone, as in 「誹謗中傷」; a legal and news term, more formal than 「悪口」.
• Related中傷ちゅうしょうNeutralDamaging someone's reputation with unfounded talk, as in 「誹謗中傷」; 「悪口」 can be bad-mouthing with some basis.
• Related侮辱ぶじょくNeutralInsulting or humiliating someone, as in 「侮辱罪」; not limited to words — actions count too.
• Related罵るののしるNeutralVerb for cursing someone out with foul language, as in 「口汚く罵る」; more intense than merely speaking ill.
• Related憎まれ口にくまれぐちCasualColloquial. Irritating, cheeky remarks, as in 「憎まれ口を叩く」; often bravado or childishness, and not necessarily abuse.
• RelatedそしりWrittenWritten word for censure or disparagement, often in set phrases like 「謗りを免れない」.
• Related雑言ぞうごんWrittenWritten word for all sorts of abusive talk; mostly seen in compounds.
• Related罵倒ばとうNeutralDenouncing someone mercilessly, as in 「罵倒する」; stronger in degree than 「悪口」.
• Related冷罵れいばWrittenWritten word for cold, sneering abuse; very rare in modern Japanese.
• Related讒謗ざんぼうWrittenWritten word for slander and defamation; very rare in modern Japanese.
• Related痛罵つうばWrittenWritten word for scathing, blistering abuse; rare in modern Japanese.
• Related嘲罵ちょうばWrittenWritten word for taunting, mocking abuse; very rare in modern Japanese.
• Related毒づくどくづくCasualColloquial verb for cursing someone viciously; carries a sense of venting one's anger.
• Related侮言ぶげんWrittenWritten word for contemptuous, insulting words; very rare in modern Japanese.
• Related罵言ばげんWrittenWritten word for abusive, cursing words; rare in modern Japanese.
• Related漫罵まんばWrittenWritten word for wild, indiscriminate abuse; very rare in modern Japanese.
• Related罵詈讒謗ばりざんぼうWrittenFour-character idiom for vicious abuse and slander; written register, extremely strong in degree.
• Antonym賛辞さんじWrittenWritten antonym: formal words of praise, such as a eulogy; the opposite of 「悪口」.
• Antonym褒め言葉ほめことばNeutralAntonym: words of praise or compliments, the direct opposite of 「悪口」.

For speaking ill of someone, 「悪口」 is the default. Use 「悪態をつく」 for letting loose harsh words, 「罵る」 or 「罵倒」 for intense verbal abuse, and 「中傷」 for unfounded attacks on someone's reputation. The many written four-character compounds are rare, formal alternatives; the opposite is 「褒め言葉」.

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

1. 他人たにんのことを悪わるく言いい、貶けなすこと。
2. 悪態あくたいをつくこと。