病的な
byouteki na
The English word "morbid" is translated into Japanese as 病的な (byouteki na).
病的な is used to describe an interest or fixation on death and decay. It is also frequently used to describe behaviors or thoughts that are unhealthy or pathological in a psychological or medical sense. Other terms can express different nuances of morbidity: 病的 describes things with pathological characteristics, while 病んでいる describes a person whose mental state is morbid or psychologically disturbed.
Meaning: interested or fixated on death and decay (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 病的な literally means "disease-like".
Which one should you use?
Depending on the nuance of "morbid" you wish to convey, different words may be more appropriate. Use 厭世的 to express existential morbidness or world-weariness. Use グロい for things that are macabre, gory or shocking. For a more metaphorical sense of something being sinister or dark, you can use 黒い.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a na-adjective, 病的な must be followed by the particle な when directly modifying a noun. To use the word as an adverb (morbidly), you replace な with く to form 病的に.
How do you pronounce it?
byouteki na
Did you know?
- The famous 'Yandere' character archetype is a linguistic blend of the word 病んでる (yanderu), meaning 'sick' or 'morbid', and デレ (dere), meaning 'lovey-dovey'. It describes a character whose affection becomes dangerously obsessive.
- The term グロい, used for morbid or gory things, is a shortened version of the English loanword 'grotesque'. It has evolved into a standalone adjective used frequently in anime and manga culture.
- While 病的な describes a pathological state, the slang term 病んでる (yanderu) is often used by youth to describe a 'dark' or 'emo' aesthetic, sometimes as a badge of identity rather than a medical diagnosis.
Examples in context
- 彼は病的なほど死に執着している。Kare wa byouteki na hodo shi ni shuuchaku shite iru.He is morbidly obsessed with death.
- そんな病的な話題は避けてください。Sonna byouteki na wadai wa sakete kudasai.Please avoid such morbid topics.
- 彼女の興味は病的なほど不気味だ。Kanojo no kyoumi wa byouteki na hodo bukimi da.Her interest is morbidly eerie.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are discussing a strange horror movie.
- 美咲 Misakiこの映画の内容は病的な感じがするね。Kono eiga no naiyō wa byōteki na kanji ga suru ne.The content of this movie feels morbid, doesn't it?
- 蓮 Ren確かに、死にこだわりすぎているよ。Tashika ni, shi ni kodawarisugite iru yo.True, it's too fixated on death.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮はこういうのが好きなの？Ren wa kōiu no ga suki nano?Do you like this kind of thing, Ren?
- 蓮 Renいや、僕には気持ち悪すぎるよ。Iya, boku ni wa kimochiwarusugiru yo.No, it's too gross for me.
