How to Say "Hideous" in Japanese

醜い

minikui[mʲiɲ̟ikɯ̟i]

The English phrase "hideous" is translated into Japanese as 醜い (minikui).

醜い is used to describe something that is extremely ugly.

Meaning: extremely ugly (adj)

Which one should you use?

The informal term グロい is also used to mean hideous.

minikui

While 醜い is a standard adjective, the slang term グロい is often used to describe things that are 'hideous' in a visceral or gory way. This term is derived from the English word 'grotesque'.
The word 醜い literally means 'difficult to look at' because it combines the verb 'to see' with the adjective nikui, meaning 'hard to do'.
In Japanese, the concept of 'hideousness' can be expressed through the word 醜態, which refers to a 'hideous sight' or a 'disgraceful behavior'.

彼女のドレスはとても醜いです。
Her dress is very hideous.
彼の服装は醜いですね。
His attire is hideous, isn't it?
その建物は見た目がとても醜いです。
That building looks extremely hideous.
このケーキ、見た目がグロいよ。
This cake looks hideous, you know.
彼は醜い言葉を投げつけた。
Kare wa minikui kotoba o nagetsuketa.
He threw out hideous words.
醜い争いは見たくない。
Minikui arasoi wa mitakunai.
I don't want to see a hideous conflict.

Two friends are discussing a dramatic argument they witnessed.

結衣 Yui

あの二人の醜い争いを見た？
Ano futari no minikui arasoi o mita?
Did you see that hideous fight between those two?
蓮 Ren

ああ、本当に醜かったね。
Aa, hontou ni minikutakatta ne.
Yeah, it was truly hideous.
結衣 Yui

蓮くん、あんなのは見てはいけないよ。
Ren-kun, anna no wa mite wa ikenai yo.
Ren, you shouldn't watch things like that.
蓮 Ren

そうだね、少し不愉快だった。
Sou dane, sukoshi fuyukai datta.
You're right, it was a bit unpleasant.

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