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陰で悪口を言う (かげでわるくちをいう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

陰かげで悪わる口くちを言いう

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-u)

talk behind someone's back; badmouth someone in secret

A set phrase meaning to say negative things about someone when they are not present. Often implies cowardice or dishonesty.

彼かれはいつも陰かげで悪わる口くちを言いうから信しん用ようできない。
He always talks behind people's backs, so I can't trust him.
陰かげで悪わる口くちを言いうのはやめ

なさい

。

Stop badmouthing people behind their backs.

Kanji

陰shade, yin, negative
悪bad, vice, rascal
口mouth
言say, word

Similar words

陰かげ口ぐち
A noun meaning 'backbiting' or 'malicious gossip behind someone's back'. 陰で悪口を言う is the verbal phrase for the same action.
悪わる口くちを言いう
Simply 'to speak ill of someone', not necessarily behind their back. 陰で adds the nuance of doing it secretly.

Etymology

A transparent compound of 陰 (かげ, 'shadow, behind the scenes') + で (locative particle) + 悪口 (わるくち, 'bad mouth, slander') + を + 言う (いう, 'to say'). The phrase literally means 'to say bad things in the shadows'.