忌まわしい

• Reading: いまわしい
• Romaji: imawashii
• Kanji breakdown: 忌 (ki/i) — abhor, avoid as taboo, mourning
• Pronunciation: /i.ma.wa.ɕiː/

Meaning

Detestable; abominable; ominous; repulsive. Describes something deeply abhorrent, cursed, or associated with shame and ill fortune.

A strong i-adjective combining moral repulsion with a taboo or superstitious dread. Used to describe shameful events, ominous signs, or memories one would rather erase entirely. Stronger than 嫌な (unpleasant) — 忌まわしい carries a ritual weight, as if the very mention of the thing is tainted.

Examples

1. あの忌まわしい事故のことは、できれば思い出したくない。 I would rather not recall that abominable accident if I can help it.
2. 忌まわしい過去を乗り越えて、彼は新たな人生を歩み始めた。 Having overcome his detestable past, he began to walk a new path in life.
3. そのような忌まわしい行為が許されるはずがない。 There is no way that such an abominable act can be permitted.

Usage Guide

Context: crime, history, literature, superstition

Tone: repulsed

Origin & History

From 忌む (imu — to avoid as taboo, to abhor ritually) + わしい (adjective suffix). The kanji 忌 (ki/i) appears in 忌み (ritual avoidance), 忌避 (avoidance), and 忌日 (unlucky day), preserving its sense of ritual and moral abhorrence.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical-Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: General