Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 憎む | nikumu | [ɲ̟ikɯ̟mɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 嫌う | kirau | [kʲiɾa̠ɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 厭う | itou | [ito̞ɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 嫌悪する | ken'o suru |
The Japanese language offers several ways to express intense dislike. You can use 憎む for deep, long-lasting hatred involving resentment or 嫌う for a common aversion or dislike. For a more clinical or academic expression of intense disgust, use 嫌悪する. In modern internet culture, the loanword ヘイト is used specifically to refer to 'hate speech' or 'hate comments'.
Which one should you use?
憎む is used for deep, intense or long-lasting hatred that often involves malice. 嫌う is a more common term that ranges from simple dislike to a strong aversion. 嫌悪する is a formal or academic way to describe feeling loathing or disgust, while 厭う is a literary form of the word.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
嫌う is a transitive verb, which means the object you dislike must be marked with the particle を.
How do you pronounce it?
nikumu
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 私を憎むな！Don't hate me!This sentence uses 憎む to show a command not to hate someone.Tatoeba #844585 by arihato, translation #666047 by bluepie88
- 子供って、肝油を嫌うね。Children hate cod liver oil.This sentence uses 嫌う to describe a common aversion to cod liver oil.Tatoeba #9035033 by small_snow, translation #3734310 by CK
- なぜ君はそんなに彼のことを嫌うの？Why do you hate him so much?This sentence uses 嫌う to ask about the reason for a strong dislike toward someone.Tatoeba #4216204 by KK_kaku_, translation #3915642 by CH
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are discussing a villain in a movie.
- 美咲 Misakiこの悪役は本当に憎むべき人間ね。Kono akuyaku wa hontou ni nikumu beki ningen ne.This villain is someone who truly deserves to be hated.
- 健太 Kentaそうだね。ひどすぎるよ。Sou da ne. Hidosugiru yo.You're right. He's too cruel.
- 美咲 Misaki誰かを憎むのは疲れるけれどね。Dareka o nikumu no wa tsukareru keredo ne.Hating someone is exhausting, though.
- 健太 Kenta確かに。早く忘れよう。Tashika ni. Hayaku wasureyou.True. Let's forget about him quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hate” translations and entries 憎む, 嫌う, 厭う, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 厭う, 嫌う, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
