憎い・悪い|にくいnikui[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
憎い憎い is the more common written form for this meaning and the one learners should choose when using the adjective or looking it up.
悪い悪い is a less common written form for this meaning; learners should recognize it when encountered but use 憎い themselves.
Definitions
- i-adjectivehateful; detestable; abominable; vexing; provoking
- i-adjectiveamazing; fantastic; admirable; lovely; wonderful
Conjugation
| Plain form | 憎い（にくい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 憎いです（にくいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 憎くない（にくくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 憎くありません（にくくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 憎かった（にくかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 憎くなかった（にくくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 憎くて（にくくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 憎く（にくく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 憎ければ（にくければ） |
| kattara | 憎かったら（にくかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym憎らしいにくらしいNeutralHateful and annoying; also used ironically to praise (「憎らしいほど上手」).
- Synonym忌まわしいいまわしいWrittenWritten/formal prose; abhorrent and ominous (「忌まわしい事件」), carrying an unlucky, sinister tinge.
- Synonym憎々しいにくにくしいWrittenWritten/formal prose for something intensely hateful (「憎々しい仕打ち」); stresses the depth of the loathing. Unlike 「憎い」, it has no ironic sense of admiration.
- Synonym忌々しいいまいましいNeutralInfuriating and hateful (「忌々しい雨」); mostly said of things rather than people.
- Synonym厭わしいいとわしいWrittenWritten/formal prose for something detestable or disagreeable; rare.
- Synonym憎たらしいにくたらしいCasualColloquial emphatic form of 「憎らしい」; often describes a child being infuriatingly cheeky.
- RelatedひどいNeutralCruel or mean (「ひどい人」); focuses on how bad someone's behavior is rather than on hatred.
- RelatedいやらしいNeutralNasty and unpleasant (「いやらしい目つき」); often carries a lewd, sexual nuance.
- RelatedいやNeutralUnwillingness or dislike (「嫌だ」); the most common word in speech, and milder than 「憎い」.
- Related不愉快ふゆかいNeutralUnpleasant; centers on one's own unhappy feelings and carries no hatred.
- Related大嫌いだいきらいNeutralVery strong dislike (「ピーマンが大嫌い」); common in everyday speech.
- Related言語道断ごんごどうだんWrittenWritten/formal prose; outrageous, beyond all reason (「言語道断の行為」); used for stern condemnation.
- RelatedむごいNeutralCruel, brutal, tragic (「むごい仕打ち」); stresses cruelty rather than hatred.
Use 「憎い」 for hating a person; it can also ironically convey admiration (「憎い演出」). For everyday dislike say 「嫌」 or 「大嫌い」; for someone's bad behavior 「ひどい」; when it is hateful yet admirable, 「憎らしい」; for infuriating things 「忌々しい」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
