悪玉|あくだまakudama[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounbad character; bad person; villain; baddie

• Synonym悪者わるものNeutralThe everyday word for a bad person, covering wrongdoers generally; also in 「悪者にされる」. 「悪玉」 is usually paired with 「善玉」 and carries a good-versus-bad split.
• Synonym悪役あくやくNeutralA part someone plays: the villain in a drama, or the resented figure within a group. 「悪玉」 names the bad side itself, in fiction or otherwise.
• Synonym悪党あくとうNeutralA scoundrel, and by extension his gang; in history, medieval forces that defied the authorities. Its tone is heavier than 「悪玉」.
• Synonym悪人あくにんNeutralSomeone who does wrong or is evil at heart; the direct opposite of 「善人」. 「悪玉」 sounds more theatrical, casting things as good versus bad.
• Synonym敵役かたきやくNeutralThe villain role that opposes the hero in a story or play, close to 「悪役」. 「悪玉」 is not confined to roles.
• Synonym極道ごくどうNeutralSomeone who lives in vice and crime, or organized crime itself; 「悪玉」 only marks the side opposite to good.
• Synonym悪徒あくとWrittenA written-style word, rare in use, for someone who commits evil or acts against morality. In everyday speech 「悪者」 is the norm; 「悪玉」 frames things as good versus bad.
• Synonym悪漢あっかんWrittenA written word with an old-fiction flavor for a man who does evil. 「悪玉」 is not limited to men and usually appears in good-versus-bad contrasts.
• Synonym極悪人ごくあくにんNeutralSomeone wicked to the extreme, with a strong note of condemnation; far heavier than 「悪玉」.
• Related悪形あくがたWrittenTheater and board-game jargon: playing the villain, or a losing position in shogi or Othello. For a bad person in general, use 「悪玉」.
• Related凶漢きょうかんWrittenA written word, mostly in news reports, for a violent attacker or assassin, as in 「凶漢に襲われる」; it stresses the act of violence.
• Related凶賊きょうぞくWrittenA written, little-used word for a ferocious, violent robber; it centers on robbery with violence and lacks the good-versus-bad coloring of 「悪玉」.
• Relatedならず者ならずものNeutralA work-shy rogue or hoodlum who does wrong. 「悪玉」 stresses being on the bad side of a good-versus-evil opposition.
• RelatedごろつきNeutralThe same word as above, also written 「破落戸」: a rogue or hoodlum, without the good-versus-bad contrast 「悪玉」 carries.
• Related姦人かんじんWrittenA written, archaic and rare word for a twisted, cunning schemer; it highlights craftiness, not the good-versus-bad split of 「悪玉」.
• Related姦物かんぶつWrittenA written, rare word for a crooked, scheming trickster; it stresses a wicked, cunning mind, unlike 「悪玉」's good-versus-bad framing.
• Related奸賊かんぞくWrittenAn archaic written word for a treacherous villain; in daily speech 「悪者」 is the usual choice, and this feels older than 「悪玉」.
• Related人でなしひとでなしCasualA colloquial insult for someone cold and inhuman, a brute. 「悪玉」 has no such abusive ring.
• Related匪賊ひぞくWrittenA written word with a historical flavor for bandits who plunder in gangs; it covers only organized robbers, while 「悪玉」 means the bad side generally.
• Related匪徒ひとWrittenA written, legal-style term for a group pursuing its aims through violence or threats, or for one of its members, a bandit; 「悪玉」 does not imply gang crime.
• Related梟雄きょうゆうWrittenA written word for a cruel, formidable ringleader; it carries some evaluation of his ability, while 「悪玉」 only labels the bad side.
• RelatedよたものCasualA colloquial, contemptuous word for an idle hoodlum with bad habits; 「悪玉」 is used in good-versus-bad contrasts and implies no loafing.
• Related性悪しょうわるNeutralDescribes a nasty, mean-spirited character and works as an adjectival noun; 「悪玉」 names a person or the bad side, not a trait.
• Antonym善玉ぜんだまNeutralThe antonym: the good person or good side, as in 「善玉菌」; together the two words split the world into good and bad camps.

Use 「悪玉」 for the bad side in a good-versus-bad split, usually paired with 「善玉」. For an ordinary bad person in daily speech, say 「悪者」 or 「悪人」; for a villain role in drama, 「悪役」 or 「敵役」; for a rogue, 「ならず者」. 「極悪人」 is far stronger and 「悪党」 heavier. The written or archaic words — 「悪徒」, 「悪漢」, 「凶漢」, 「凶賊」, 「姦人」, 「姦物」, 「奸賊」, 「匪賊」, 「匪徒」, 「梟雄」 — name specific types of evildoers. 「人でなし」 and 「与太者」 are colloquial and contemptuous; 「性悪」 describes character; 「極道」 covers vice and the underworld.

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

1. 性質せいしつが悪わるく、他者たしゃに害がいをもたらす人ひとのこと。