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 |
Japanese has several ways to express hatred or strong dislike. While 憎む expresses deep-seated resentment, 嫌う is the general verb for expressing aversion or dislike. In modern internet culture, the loanword ヘイト is specifically used to refer to 'hate speech' or online harassment.
Which one should you use?
憎む is used for deep, intense or long-lasting hatred that often involves resentment or a desire for revenge. 嫌う is the more common way to express a general dislike or aversion to something, ranging from a simple dislike to being repelled. 嫌悪する is a more formal and clinical way to express a feeling of intense disgust or loathing. Finally, 厭う is a literary form of the word.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While 嫌う is a verb, the noun/adjectival form 嫌い is much more frequently used in daily conversation to say 'I hate [something]' (e.g., [Something] が嫌いです).
How do you pronounce it?
nikumu
Did you know?
- Some linguists suggest the verb 嫌う may be cognate with 切る, meaning 'to cut'. This implies the original sense of the word was to 'cut off' or sever a connection with something.
- Japanese culture often emphasizes avoiding the direct expression of 嫌い to maintain social harmony. People frequently use softer phrases like 'it is a bit…' to imply dislike without saying the word 'hate'.
- The word 嫌い is technically an adjective, not a verb. In daily conversation, Japanese speakers describe the state of 'disliking' something rather than performing the action of 'hating' it.
Examples in context
- 私を憎むな！Don't hate me!This sentence shows how to use 憎む in a command.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 demonstrates a common use of 嫌う regarding a dislike for a specific substance.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 shows how to ask about the reason for using 嫌う toward a person.Tatoeba #4216204 by KK_kaku_, translation #3915642 by CH
- 私はコーヒーが嫌いです。I hate coffee.
- この映画は本当に嫌いだ。I really hate this movie.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are discussing a villain in a story.
- 陽太 Yotaこの悪役は本当に憎むべき人間だね。Kono akuyaku wa hontou ni nikumu beki ningen da ne.This villain is truly a person to be hated.
- 陽葵 Himariそうね。やり方がひどすぎるわ。Sou ne. Yarikata ga hidosugiru wa.You're right. His methods are too cruel.
- 陽太 Yotaこんなに憎む相手は初めてだよ。Konna ni nikumu aite wa hajimete da yo.This is the first time I've hated someone this much.
- 陽葵 Himari物語の結末が楽しみね。Monogatari no ketsumatsu ga tanoshimi ne.I'm looking forward to the end of the story.
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.
