Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 醜い | minikui | [mʲiɲ̟ikɯ̟i] (narrow) |
| 見苦しい | migurushii | [mʲiɡɯ̟ɾɯ̟ɕii] (narrow) |
| 格好悪い | kakkowarui | [ka̠k̚ko̞β̞a̠ɾɯ̟i] (narrow) [ka̠k̚ko̞ːβ̞a̠ɾɯ̟i] (narrow) |
醜い is used to describe physical appearance as unattractive or unpleasant. It often carries a more intense or visceral sense of physical ugliness compared to simply being 'unattractive'.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 見苦しい is composed of the verb 見 (to see) and the adjective 苦しい (painful/difficult), which literally translates to 'painful to look at'.
Which one should you use?
While 醜い refers to physical ugliness, 見苦しい is used to describe something that is 'unpleasant to look at' in a moral or behavioral sense, such as an unsightly way of acting or a shameful display. 格好悪い is used to describe someone or something that looks 'uncool', 'unfashionable' or 'lame' rather than being purely physically repulsive.
How does it change in a sentence?
醜い is an i-adjective, which means it can be used to directly modify nouns, such as 醜い猫 or it can end a sentence, such as 醜いです.
How do you pronounce it?
minikui
Did you know?
- In the phrase 見苦しい, the second part undergoes a sound change called rendaku, where 'kurushii' becomes 'gurushii' to make the compound easier to pronounce.
- Japanese has distinct words for ugliness based on whether the cause is physical, behavioral or stylistic.
- The word 格好悪い relies on the word 格好, which refers to the 'shape' or 'figure' of a person, rather than their facial features.
Examples in context
- 私を醜いと思いますか。Do you think I'm ugly?This sentence is useful for asking if someone thinks you are 醜い.Tatoeba #1533048 by bunbuku, translation #953230 by CK
- １人の醜い男が私の家の戸をたたいた。An ugly man knocked on my door.This sentence is useful for describing a man as 醜い.Tatoeba #235739 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #73119 by CK
- 醜い猫が私の椅子に座ったんだよ！An ugly cat sat in my chair!This sentence is useful for describing a cat as 醜い.Tatoeba #9929561 by Luornu, translation #9929567 by Luornu
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Kenta are looking at some modern art in a gallery.
- 陽葵 Himariこの絵は、なんだか醜いですね。Kono e wa, nandaka minikui desu ne.This painting is kind of ugly, isn't it?
- 健太 Kenta確かに、色の組み合わせが醜いです。Tashika ni, iro no kumiawase ga minikui desu.True, the combination of colors is ugly.
- 陽葵 Himariでも、それが芸術だと言われています。Demo, sore ga geijutsu da to iwarete imasu.But they say that's what art is.
- 健太 Kenta僕にはどうしても醜く見えます。Boku ni wa doushitemo minikuku miemasu.It just looks ugly to me no matter what.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ugly” translations and entries 醜い, 見苦しい, 格好悪い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 格好悪い, 見苦しい, 醜い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
