1.
slander, bad-mouthing, speaking ill of
Negative speech about someone, typically behind their back; verbal abuse or criticism of a person.
人の悪口を言うのはよくない。
It's not good to speak ill of others.
悪口を言う = to speak ill of, to badmouth
彼は陰で私の悪口を言っていた。
He was speaking ill of me behind my back.
陰で = behind someone's back
悪口ばかり言う人は信用できない。
You can't trust someone who only badmouths others.
友達の悪口を聞いて、とても嫌な気持ちになった。
I heard someone badmouthing my friend, and it made me feel really unpleasant.
悪口を聞く = to hear someone being spoken ill of
本人がいないところで悪口を言うのは卑怯だと思う。
I think it's cowardly to badmouth someone when they're not around.
USAGE: 悪口 refers to negative speech about someone, especially when said behind their back. It has a clear negative connotation.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 悪口を言う (to speak ill of, to badmouth)
- 悪口を聞く (to hear bad things said about someone)
- 陰で悪口を言う (to speak ill behind someone's back)
READING NOTE: Can also be read as わるぐち, though わるくち is more common.
CONTRAST:
- 悪口 - speaking ill of someone
- 批判 - criticism (more neutral, can be constructive)
- 陰口 - gossip, backbiting (specifically behind someone's back)