意い地じ悪わる

い

じ

わ

る

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

mean; nasty; malicious; unkind

Describes a person, action, or attitude that is deliberately unkind or spiteful. Often used for teasing, bullying, or petty cruelty.

彼かれは弟おとうとに意い地じ悪わるなことを言いった。
He said something mean to his younger brother.

そんな意い地じ悪わるしないでよ。

Don't be so mean.

Kanji

意idea, mind, heart
地ground, earth
悪bad, vice, rascal

Similar words

いじめる
いじめる is a verb meaning 'to bully' or 'to torment', often implying repeated physical or psychological harassment. 意地悪 is more about a mean-spirited attitude or petty unkindness, and can be used as an adjective or noun.
残ざん酷こく
残酷 means 'cruel' or 'brutal', suggesting a harsher, often physically or emotionally severe cruelty. 意地悪 is milder and more everyday, closer to 'mean' or 'nasty'.

Etymology

Compound of 意地 (いじ, 'disposition; stubbornness') and 悪 (わる, 'bad; evil'). The reading わる is a kun'yomi variant used in compounds. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period to describe a mean-spirited or ill-natured person.