これ嫌い
kore kirai
The English phrase "I hate this" can be expressed in Japanese as これ嫌い (kore kirai).
The phrase is used to express a strong dislike for a specific thing. While translated as "hate", the word 嫌い is often used more broadly than the English "hate" to express a strong dislike or a lack of preference.
Which one should you use?
To intensify the meaning to "I really hate this" or "I loathe this", you can use これ、大嫌い. The word 嫌い on its own can be translated as both "dislike" and "hate".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite version suitable for use with strangers or superiors, use これが嫌いです by adding です to the end. For a formal way to express strong dislike or an intensive form of hatred, use 大変嫌です. For informal situations, you can use 嫌だ.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Japanese, 嫌い functions as a na-adjective rather than a verb, which means it does not change conjugation like a standard verb to express the present tense.
How do you pronounce it?
kore kirai
Did you know?
- Adding 大 'dai' to 嫌い to create 大嫌い 'daikirai' does more than just intensify the word. In romantic contexts, it can be used playfully or teasingly to express an opposite, deep affection.
- When talking about food, saying 嫌い can sound very strong or rude to a host. Instead, people might use the phrase 口に合いません 'kuchi ni aimasen', which literally means 'it does not fit my mouth'.
- In many Japanese contexts, if you want to express that you dislike a certain food, it is more common to say you are 'not good at it' using the phrase 苦手 (nigate). This sounds much more humble and polite than using 嫌い.
Examples in context
- これ嫌い、食べたくない。kore kirai, tabetakunai.I hate this, I don't want to eat it.
- どうしてこれ嫌いなの？doushite kore kirai nano?Why do you hate this?
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a strange-looking vegetable in the kitchen.
- 結衣 Yuiこれ嫌い！kore kirai!I hate this!
- 大翔 Hirotoそんなこと言わないで。sonna koto iwanaide.Don't say that.
- 結衣 Yui本当にこれ嫌いなんだもん。hontou ni kore kirai nan da mon.But I really hate this.
- 大翔 Hiroto少しだけでも食べてみて。sukoshi dake demo tabete mite.Just try eating a little bit.
