けだもの
kedamono
The English word "brute" is translated into Japanese as けだもの (kedamono).
The term けだもの is used to describe a brute or a beast. While it can refer to an actual animal, when used to describe a person, it implies they are behaving with animalistic cruelty or lacking human reason.
Meaning: brutal person (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kedamono
Did you know?
- When used in literature, けだもの often contrasts with the Confucian ideal of じん or 'humaneness', marking the subject as the ultimate social outcast.
- In Japanese pop culture, such as manga and anime, けだもの is frequently used to describe characters who have a dual nature, hiding a predatory or 'beast-like' instinct behind a human facade.
- While けだもの describes a person as a beast, the term どうぶつ is the standard word for 'animal'. Using けだもの for an actual animal usually implies it is wild or dangerous.
Examples in context
- 彼は野蛮な人とのつながりを好みません。He does not prefer connections with brutes.
- あんなけだものとは話したくない。Anna kedamono to wa hanashitakunai.I don't want to talk to a brute like that.
- 彼はまるでけだもののようだ。Kare wa marude kedamono no yō da.He is just like a brute.
- けだもののような振る舞いはやめてください。Kedamono no yō na furumai wa yamete kudasai.Please stop behaving like a brute.
Example conversation
Yui is telling Kenta about a cruel person she met.
- 結衣 Yuiあの人はひどいことをしたわ。ano hito wa hidoi koto o shita wa.That person did something terrible.
- 健太 Kenta具体的に何をしたの？gutaiteki ni nani o shita no?What exactly did they do?
- 結衣 Yui信じられない。本当にけだものよ。shinjirarenai. hontou ni kedamono yo.I can't believe it. They are truly a brute.
- 健太 Kentaそれはひどすぎるな。sore wa hidosugiru na.That is way too cruel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry けだもの, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
