鬼婆
onibaba[o̞ɲ̟iba̠ba̠]
The English word hag can be translated into Japanese as 鬼婆 (onibaba) or ばばあ.
Meaning: ugly old woman (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 鬼婆 | onibaba | [o̞ɲ̟iba̠ba̠] (narrow) |
| ばばあ | babā | [ba̠ba̠ː] (narrow) |
The term refers to an ugly old woman. One form evokes a mythological or folkloric demon-like hag, while the other is a common way to insult an elderly woman in daily speech.
Which one should you use?
鬼婆 evokes a mythological or folkloric demon-like hag, whereas ばばあ is a common way to refer to an elderly woman in a derogatory sense.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ばばあ is a highly derogatory, rude and informal way to address or refer to an older woman.
How do you pronounce it?
onibaba
Did you know?
- While ばばあ is an insult, some close-knit families or couples in Japan use it as a rough, affectionate term of endearment, similar to how 'old lady' is used in some English dialects.
- In Japanese folklore, the 鬼婆 is often depicted as a shapeshifter who can transform into a beautiful young woman to lure victims into her home.
- In some historical contexts, the term for an old woman using the 婆 character was actually a respectful way to acknowledge a woman of high social standing or wisdom before it became a derogatory slang term.
Examples in context
- あの鬼婆は本当に恐ろしい。ano onibaba wa hontō ni osoroshii.That hag is truly terrifying.
- 物語に出てくる鬼婆を退治した。Monogatari ni detekuru onibaba o taiji shita.I defeated the hag that appears in the story.
- 鬼婆のような顔をしている。Onibaba no yōna kao o shite iru.She has a face like a hag.
Example conversation
Two teenagers are talking about a scary neighbor.
- 陽葵 Himari隣の家の人、本当に怖くない？Tonari no ie no hito, hontō ni kowakunai?Isn't the person next door really scary?
- 蓮 Renああ、あそこの鬼婆は有名だよ。Aa, asoko no onibaba wa yūmei dayo.Yeah, that hag over there is famous.
- 陽葵 Himariいつも怒鳴っているよね。Itsumo donatte iru yo ne.She is always yelling, isn't she?
- 蓮 Ren近づかないほうがいいよ。Chikazukanai hō ga ii yo.It's better not to go near her.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hag” translations and entries 鬼婆, ばばあ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
