醜い・見憎い|みにくいminikui[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
醜い醜い is the most common written form of this adjective and the recommended choice for beginners; use it when writing the word.
見憎い見憎い is a rarely used written form; learners will seldom see it, and beginners should use 醜い instead.
Definitions
- i-adjectiveugly; unattractive; bad-looking
- i-adjectiveunsightly; unseemly; disgraceful; shameful; dishonorable
Conjugation
| Plain form | 醜い（みにくい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 醜いです（みにくいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 醜くない（みにくくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 醜くありません（みにくくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 醜かった（みにくかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 醜くなかった（みにくくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 醜くて（みにくくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 醜く（みにくく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 醜ければ（みにくければ） |
| kattara | 醜かったら（みにくかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym見苦しいみぐるしいNeutralSays behaviour or looks are too unsightly to watch, as in 「見苦しい言い訳」; 「醜い」 targets ugliness itself and also covers appearance.
- Synonym醜悪しゅうあくWrittenWritten/formal prose: hideous and repulsive, mostly of conduct; 「醜い」 is more colloquial.
- Synonym不格好ぶかっこうNeutralDescribes something badly shaped or clumsy-looking; 「醜い」 is stronger and can also condemn ugly behaviour.
- SynonymぶさいくCasualColloquial: bluntly says a face is ugly or work is crudely made, and is quite offensive when judging someone's looks; 「醜い」 can also describe ugly conduct.
- Synonym格好の悪いかっこうのわるいNeutralSays a person or thing looks bad or uncool, leaning colloquial; 「醜い」 is more written in register and stronger in degree.
- Synonymかっこ悪いかっこわるいCasualColloquial: uncool or embarrassing, common among young people; 「醜い」 is more serious.
- Related汚いきたないNeutralMeans dirty or unclean, and can also brand tactics as dirty; 「醜い」 centres on ugly looks or conduct.
- RelatedグロCasualSlang short form of 「グロテスク」: grotesque and off-putting.
- RelatedグロテスクNeutralLoanword for the grotesque and eerie; fits images, scenes or events alike, while 「醜い」 stresses plain ugliness.
- RelatedグロいCasualSlang for something disgusting or grotesque, often gory imagery; 「醜い」 is about plain ugliness.
- Related醜怪しゅうかいWrittenWritten/formal prose: hideous and bizarre; in everyday speech say 「醜い」.
- Related不器量ぶきりょうNeutralRefers to plain, unattractive looks and sounds old-fashioned; 「醜い」 is more general and also covers ugly conduct.
- Antonym美しいうつくしいNeutralAntonym on the beauty–ugliness scale: beautiful.
- AntonymきれいNeutralAntonym on the beauty–ugliness scale: pretty and clean.
- AntonymかわいいNeutralAntonym on the beauty–ugliness scale: cute.
Use 「醜い」 for ugly looks or shameful conduct. In casual speech prefer 「かっこ悪い」 or 「不細工」; for behaviour or looks too unsightly to watch, 「見苦しい」; for dirt, 「汚い」. Antonyms: 「美しい」, 「綺麗」.
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
