Translation guide
Describes something extremely ugly, shocking, or unpleasant to look at. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 醜い (minikui), but other words like おぞましい (ozomashii) or グロテスク (gurotesuku) may be used depending on the nuance.
Describing a person, creature, or object that is very unattractive or repulsive in appearance.
The most direct and common translation for 'hideous' when referring to physical ugliness. Can be used for people, animals, or things.
その怪物はとても醜い顔をしていた。
The monster had a very hideous face.
彼女は自分の醜い傷跡を隠した。
She hid her hideous scar.
Loanword from English 'grotesque'. Often used for something that is not just ugly but also bizarre, distorted, or unnatural. Common in describing art, horror, or exaggerated features.
その絵はグロテスクな怪物を描いていた。
The painting depicted a hideous monster.
Means 'ugly' or 'unshapely', often used for faces or appearances. More casual and slightly less intense than 醜い. Can be used humorously or insultingly.
あの犬は不細工だけどかわいい。
That dog is hideous but cute.
Means 'unsightly' or 'ugly to look at'. Often used for scenes, behavior, or appearances that are unpleasant to witness. Less common for physical ugliness of people.
その廃墟は見苦しい状態だった。
The ruins were in a hideous state.
Describing something that causes revulsion, horror, or strong disgust, often beyond just physical appearance.
Conveys a sense of dread, horror, or disgust. Often used for crimes, scenes, or acts that are morally repulsive or horrifying.
彼はおぞましい犯罪を犯した。
He committed a hideous crime.
その光景はあまりにもおぞましかった。
The sight was too hideous.
Similar to おぞましい but can also be written as 悍ましい. Emphasizes a gut-wrenching disgust. Often used interchangeably.
Primarily means 'frightening' or 'terrible', but can be used for something hideous in the sense of being shockingly bad or horrifying.
Means 'ghastly' or 'gruesome'. Used for scenes of extreme violence or tragedy. Very strong and literary.
Used informally to describe something that is extremely bad, unpleasant, or objectionable, not necessarily visually ugly.
A versatile word meaning 'terrible', 'awful', or 'dreadful'. Can be used for situations, behavior, weather, etc. Not specifically about appearance.
今日の天気はひどいね。
The weather is hideous today.
彼の態度はひどかった。
His attitude was hideous.
Means 'the worst'. Often used colloquially to express that something is hideously bad.
When using 'hideous' to mean 'very bad' (e.g., a hideous mistake), do not directly translate with 醜い. Use ひどい or 最悪 instead. 醜い is almost exclusively for physical ugliness or moral repulsiveness.
それはひどい間違いだった。
That was a hideous mistake.
醜い is general ugliness, while グロテスク implies a distorted, unnatural, or exaggerated ugliness, often with a sense of the bizarre. グロテスク is commonly used in entertainment and art contexts.
その彫刻は醜いというよりグロテスクだ。
The sculpture is more grotesque than hideous.
悍ましい事件の詳細が明らかになった。
The details of the hideous incident were revealed.
その事故の現場は恐ろしいものだった。
The scene of the accident was hideous.
凄惨な殺人現場だった。
It was a hideous murder scene.
その映画は最悪だった。
That movie was hideous.