悪意

• Reading: あくい
• Romaji: akui
• Kanji breakdown: 悪 (aku/waru) — evil, bad; 意 (i) — intention, will
• Pronunciation: /a.kɯ.i/

Meaning

Malice; ill will; bad faith. An intentional desire to harm or deceive others.

A noun used in both everyday speech and legal contexts. In law, 悪意 specifically means knowledge of a fact (bad faith awareness), contrasting with 善意 (good faith, unawareness). In daily use, it means hostile or harmful intent. The antonym 善意 (good faith/goodwill) is equally important to know.

Examples

1. 彼の言葉には悪意が感じられたが、証明するのは難しかった。 I could sense malice in his words, but it was hard to prove.
2. 悪意のある第三者にアカウントを乗っ取られた。 My account was hijacked by a malicious third party.
3. 悪意を持って行動した場合、法的責任が生じる。 If you act with ill will, you may be held legally responsible.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, interpersonal conflict, cybersecurity, ethics

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound: 悪 (aku/waru) means evil or bad, 意 (i) means intention or will. Together they form 'evil intention.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal