嫌味

• Reading: いやみ
• Romaji: iyami
• Kanji breakdown: 嫌 (iya/ken) — dislike, unpleasant; 味 (mi) — taste, flavour
• Pronunciation: /i.ja.mi/

Meaning

Sarcasm; snide remark; nastiness. Also: disagreeableness or unpleasantness of manner.

A noun and na-adjective referring to passive-aggressive comments or an unpleasant quality about someone's behaviour. 嫌味を言う (to make snide remarks) is the most common usage. Can also describe a quality that makes someone off-putting — 嫌味な人 (a disagreeable person). Distinct from direct insults; 嫌味 implies subtlety and indirect nastiness.

Examples

1. 上司に嫌味を言われて落ち込んだ。 I felt down after my boss made a snide remark.
2. 彼女の嫌味な言い方が気になる。 Her passive-aggressive way of speaking bothers me.
3. 嫌味のない素直な性格が好かれる理由だ。 Her straightforward personality, free of sarcasm, is why people like her.

Usage Guide

Context: interpersonal conflict, workplace, gossip, personality description

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From 嫌 (iya, dislike/unpleasant) + 味 (mi, taste/flavour). Literally 'unpleasant taste' — something that leaves a bad taste, metaphorically an unpleasant or sarcastic quality.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal