怨恨(えんこん)

えんこん
noun
grudge; resentment; malice
formalwrittenemotion
1. grudge; resentment; deep-seated malice
A strong, lasting feeling of hatred or bitterness toward someone, often stemming from a perceived wrong. Frequently appears in news reporting about criminal motives.
怨恨(えんこん)による犯行(はんこう)。
A crime motivated by a grudge.
警察(けいさつ)は怨恨(えんこん)が動機(どうき)とみている。
The police believe resentment was the motive.
Years of accumulated resentment finally led to this incident.

Compound noun: 怨(えん) (resentment) + 恨(こん) (grudge). A formal, literary word most often encountered in news reports discussing criminal motives.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 恨(うら)み: grudge, resentment — more common in everyday speech
  • 怨恨(えんこん): deeper, more formal term — often used in news and legal contexts