1.
vice; immorality; unscrupulous conduct
Morally corrupt character or dishonest, unethical behavior. Frequently used attributively to label dishonest businesses and operators, as in 悪徳業者.
悪徳商法にだまされた。
I was deceived by a fraudulent sales scheme.
あの会社は悪徳業者として知られている。
That company is known as an unscrupulous operator.
政治家の悪徳が明るみに出て、大きな問題になった。
The politician's corruption came to light and became a major issue.
Most often appears as a prefix-like modifier labeling dishonest businesses and their methods.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 悪徳業者: unscrupulous operator/dealer
- 悪徳商法: fraudulent sales practices
- 悪徳政治家: corrupt politician
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 美徳: virtue — the direct antonym, meaning admirable moral character.
- 不正: injustice; wrongdoing — focuses on specific dishonest acts rather than corrupt character.