1.
gossip; talking negatively about someone behind their back
Speaking ill of someone when they are not present; malicious gossip.
陰口を言うのはよくない。
It's not good to talk behind people's backs.
彼女は陰口を叩かれている。
People are gossiping about her behind her back.
陰口ばかり言う人は信用できない。
You can't trust people who are always gossiping about others.
WORD FORMATION:
陰 (shadow, behind) + 口 (mouth, speech) → speech made in the shadows
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 陰口を言う / 叩く (to gossip, to badmouth)
- 陰口を言われる / 叩かれる (to be gossiped about)
- 陰口が多い (there's a lot of gossip)
CONTRAST:
- 陰口 (behind one's back) ↔ 面と向かって (to one's face)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 悪口 (badmouthing) - negative talk, can be direct or behind the back
- 噂 (rumor) - talk about someone, not necessarily negative
- 陰口 - specifically negative talk behind someone's back
CULTURAL NOTE:
陰口 is generally considered very negative behavior in Japanese social contexts, as it damages group harmony (和).