みにくい
minikuiadjective
In hiragana, "ugly" is みにくい (minikui). It describes things, sights and also behavior, and it is a strong word. It is also called ぶさいく (busaiku) and かっこわるい (kakkowarui).
Meaning: ugly, unsightly (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| みにくい | minikui | adjective |
| ぶさいく | busaiku | na adjective, casual, rude |
| かっこわるい | kakkowarui | adjective, uncool |
You can say みにくいあらそい (minikui arasoi) for an ugly fight. For faces, speakers often use the casual ぶさいく (busaiku), but that is rude and best avoided.
Which one should you use?
かっこわるい (kakkowarui) means uncool or unflattering, not literally ugly. It is softer and often used in a playful way among friends.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Calling a person みにくい or ぶさいく is very hurtful. Learners should avoid both for people.
Did you know?
- The Japanese title of the fairy tale The Ugly Duckling is みにくいあひるのこ (Minikui ahiru no ko).
Examples in context
- みにくいけんかをみました。Minikui kenka o mimashita.I saw an ugly quarrel.
- このふくはかっこわるいです。Kono fuku wa kakkowarui desu.These clothes look uncool.
- みにくいものにもいみがあります。Minikui mono ni mo imi ga arimasu.Even ugly things have meaning.
Example conversation
Yuma and his sister Nanami talk about a book from their school library.
- Yumaこのえほんのなまえはなに。Kono ehon no namae wa nani.What is the title of this picture book?
- Nanamiみにくいあひるのこ、だよ。Minikui ahiru no ko, da yo.It is The Ugly Duckling.
- Yumaむかしからゆうめいなおはなしだね。Mukashi kara yūmei na ohanashi da ne.It is a famous story from long ago.
