憎む・悪む|にくむnikumu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
憎む憎む（にくむ） is the most common written form and the default choice for beginners; it is written with kanji and kana.
悪む悪む（にくむ） is a rarely used written form, so learners will seldom encounter it; it is written with kanji and kana.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto hate; to detest
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 憎む（にくむ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 憎みます（にくみます） |
| Negative (nai) | 憎まない（にくまない） |
| polite (masen) | 憎みません（にくみません） |
| classical zu / nu | 憎まず・憎まぬ（にくまず・にくまぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 憎んだ（にくんだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 憎みました（にくみました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 憎まなかった（にくまなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 憎みませんでした（にくみませんでした） |
| Te form | 憎んで（にくんで） |
| Potential | 憎める（にくめる） |
| Passive | 憎まれる（にくまれる） |
| Causative | 憎ませる（にくませる） |
| Causative passive | 憎ませられる・憎まされる（にくませられる・にくまされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 憎めば（にくめば） |
| tara | 憎んだら（にくんだら） |
| Volitional | 憎もう（にくもう） |
| polite (mashou) | 憎みましょう（にくみましょう） |
| Imperative | 憎め（にくめ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym憎悪ぞうおWrittenWritten noun for intense hatred, even stronger in degree than 「憎む」; seen in 「憎悪の念」.
- Synonym嫌うきらうNeutralNeutral everyday verb for disliking or avoiding something, milder than 「憎む」 and the most common choice.
- Synonym嫌悪けんおWrittenWritten noun for strong aversion and rejection, applicable to both emotions and ideas, as in 「自己嫌悪」; 「憎む」 centres on hatred.
- Synonym厭悪えんおWrittenWritten and rare, meaning aversion or detestation; in daily speech say 「嫌悪」 or 「嫌う」.
- Related嫌がるいやがるNeutralNeutral verb for dislike or reluctance shown in one's behaviour, mostly of other people; 「憎む」 is hatred felt within.
- RelatedいやCasualColloquial adjectival noun for reluctance or dislike, mild in degree; 「憎む」 is deep-seated hatred.
- RelatedきらいNeutralNeutral and the most common word for simply not liking something, mild in degree; 「憎む」 is intense hatred.
- Related恨むうらむNeutralNeutral verb for nursing a grudge out of grievance or after being wronged; its object can be a person, fate, or oneself. 「憎む」 can also target evil itself.
- Related忌むいむWrittenShuns something as taboo or as wrong on moral or rational grounds, as in 「殺生を忌む」 and 「忌み嫌う」; 「憎む」 is harbouring hatred of a person or thing.
- Related唾棄だきWrittenWritten word for spurning something as one would spit on it, carrying strong contempt; 「憎む」 centres on the hatred held.
- Related厭ういとうWrittenWritten verb for being unwilling to do something because it is a bother, as in 「労をいとわない」; 「憎む」 is outright hatred.
- Related忌諱ききWrittenWritten noun for dread and avoidance of what is taboo; common in 「忌諱に触れる」, to give offence by touching a taboo; 「憎む」 is strong hatred.
- Related嫌忌けんきWrittenWritten and rare, meaning dislike or distaste; say 「嫌う」 in everyday speech.
- Related厭忌えんきWrittenWritten and rare, meaning dislike or detestation; say 「嫌う」 in everyday speech.
- Related嫌厭けんえんWrittenWritten and rare, meaning dislike or revulsion; say 「嫌悪」 in everyday speech.
- Related毛嫌いけぎらいNeutralNeutral word for instinctive dislike with no real reason, tinged with prejudice, as in 「毛嫌いする」; 「憎む」 is a definite, conscious hatred.
- Antonym好むこのむWrittenAntonym on the axis of liking and disliking: to like or prefer something.
- Antonym愛するあいするNeutralAntonym on the axis of love and hate: to love, to feel deep affection.
Use 「憎む」 for intense hatred directed at a person or at evil itself. For plain dislike, go with 「嫌い」 or 「嫌う」. Choose 「恨む」 for a grudge held after being wronged, 「嫌悪」 for visceral revulsion, and 「毛嫌い」 for instinctive, groundless dislike. The antonyms are 「愛する」 and 「好む」.
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
