Bad in Japanese
"bad" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
6 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "bad". The most common choice is shown first.
Top pick
bad, vice, rascal, false, evil, wrong
Reading: aku
11 strokes · nature, dark
Where it comes from
Composed of sub (亜) and heart (心). State of distorted heart.
What it carries
Evil, wicked, bad. '悪' is not always absolute evil - context matters.
Related kanji for "bad"
bad
fu
Shape of flower bud not opening. Represents negation.
bad habit(also: cash, humble prefix, gift)
hei
Composed of worn and cloth. Worn cloth.
bad luck(also: villain, evil, disaster)
kyou · peaceful, dark
Shape of person falling in hole. Ominous.
bad luck(also: unlucky, misfortune, disaster)
yaku · mysterious, peaceful
Composed of cliff and kneeling. Cliff kneeling.
bad looking(also: ugly, unclean, shame)
shuu · powerful, dark
Composed of wine and demon. Demon drunk on wine.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for bad?
The most common kanji for "bad" is 悪, read as aku. It means bad, vice, rascal. Related kanji: 不 (bad), 幣 (bad habit), 凶 (bad luck), 厄 (bad luck), 醜 (bad looking).
How many strokes does 悪 have?
悪 has 11 strokes.