How to Say "Malice" in Japanese

悪意

akui[a̠kɯ̟i]

The English phrase 'malice' translates to Japanese as 悪意 (akui). Wiktionary also lists 毒気 (dokuke, dokke).

Meaning: intention to harm (noun)

Ways to say it

“malice” in Japanese
Japanese	Romanization (Wiktionary)	IPA
悪意	akui	[a̠kɯ̟i] (narrow)
毒気	dokuke, dokke

Both 悪意 and 毒気 are used to express the intention to cause harm.

The word 悪意 (akui) is composed of 悪, meaning evil or bad and 意, meaning intention or mind.

akui

The word 毒気 (dokuki) literally means 'poisonous air' or 'poisonous spirit'. While 悪意 describes a mental intent, 毒気 suggests a toxic aura or a biting sarcasm that can 'infect' a conversation.
The concept of malice in Japanese culture is often described through the lens of 'impurity' or 'defilement' in certain traditional contexts.
The word 毒気 is also used to describe a person's 'sharpness' or 'spiciness' in personality. If someone has 毒気 in their speech, they might be seen as brutally honest or refreshingly blunt rather than purely malicious.

悪意に満ちている。
They are full of malice.
This sentence is useful for describing someone being full of 悪意.
Wiktionary
ベンは悪意から私の噂をばらまいた。
Ben spread a rumor about me out of malice.
This sentence shows how someone might spread a rumor due to 悪意.
Tatoeba #196618 by mookeee, translation #33797 by CP
事実は明白だ。それを混乱は憤慨するだろう、無知は嘲笑するだろう、悪意は曲げようとするだろう、しかしそれが事実なのだ。
The truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it, ignorance may deride it, malice may distort it, but there it is.
This sentence uses 悪意 in a context describing the distortion of truth.
Tatoeba #397691 by Scott, translation #397690 by Scott
彼女の悪意に満ちた行動は、私たちに多大な苦痛をもたらした。
Her malicious behavior caused us great pain.
彼の意地悪なジョークは、友人たちを驚かせました。
His mischievous joke surprised his friends.

Two friends are discussing a mysterious email they received.

陽葵 Himari

このメールには、かなりの悪意を感じるよ。
Kono mēru ni wa, kanari no akui o kanjiru yo.
I feel a lot of malice in this email.
健太 Kenta

本当に。誰かが君を困らせようとしているんだね。
Hontō ni. Dareka ga kimi o komarase yō to shite iru ndane.
Truly. Someone is trying to cause you trouble.
陽葵 Himari

健太君、何か心当たりはある？
Kenta-kun, nanika kokoroatari wa aru?
Kenta, do you have any idea who it might be?
健太 Kenta

今のところ、全くわからないよ。
Ima no tokoro, mattaku wakaranai yo.
For now, I have no idea at all.

Sources

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