嫌悪

• Reading: けんお
• Romaji: ken'o
• Kanji breakdown: 嫌 (ken/iya) — dislike, hate; 悪 (o/aku) — bad, evil
• Pronunciation: /ke.ɴ.o/

Meaning

Disgust; hatred; loathing; aversion. A strong feeling of repulsion towards something considered morally or aesthetically offensive.

A noun and suru-verb (嫌悪する) expressing a more intense and visceral dislike than 嫌い. The compound 嫌悪感 (a feeling of disgust/aversion) is very common in psychological and journalistic contexts. It can refer to disgust at another's behaviour, self-loathing (自己嫌悪), or revulsion at a social phenomenon.

Examples

1. 暴力的な映像を見るたびに強い嫌悪感を覚える。 Every time I see violent imagery, I feel a strong sense of disgust.
2. 自分自身の弱さに嫌悪を感じることがある。 There are times when I feel loathing toward my own weaknesses.
3. 彼は不誠実な行為に対して嫌悪の感情を隠さなかった。 He made no effort to hide his revulsion toward dishonest behavior.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, social commentary, personal reflection

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From 嫌 (ken/iya) meaning 'to dislike' and 悪 (o/aku) meaning 'bad' or 'evil.' The compound reinforces both the feeling of dislike and the perception of the object as inherently bad.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal