悪(あく)

あく

noun

evil; wickedness

See also: 灰汁(あく) (scum, harshness (homophone))

1. evil; wickedness; wrongdoing

Moral wrongdoing or the concept of evil, as opposed to good.

善(ぜん)と悪(あく)の区別(くべつ)。

The distinction between good and evil.

悪(あく)に染(そ)まった人間(にんげん)を救(すく)うのは難(むずか)しい。

It is difficult to save a person who has fallen into wickedness.

この物語(ものがたり)では、悪(あく)が最後(さいご)に滅(ほろ)びて正義(せいぎ)が勝(か)つという展開(てんかい)になっている。

In this story, evil is destroyed in the end and justice prevails.

悪(あく) refers to evil or wickedness as an abstract concept, the moral opposite of 善(ぜん) (good, virtue).

Common expressions

善(ぜん)と悪(あく): good and evil
悪(あく)に染(そ)まる: to be tainted by evil
必要(ひつよう)悪(あく): a necessary evil
悪(あく)の道(みち): the path of evil
勧善懲悪(かんぜんちょうあく): rewarding good and punishing evil (a common story theme)

Kanji readings

The kanji 悪(あく) has multiple readings with different meanings:

悪(あく) (noun): evil, wickedness
悪(わる)い (i-adjective): bad, poor
悪(わる): bad person, villain (informal noun)

Usage

As a noun, 悪(あく) appears in philosophical, religious, and literary contexts. It is also common in fiction where themes of good versus evil are central.

Related Words

Antonym: 善(ぜん) (good)

general

Added 2026.2.7 22:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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