気味が悪い

• Reading: きみがわるい
• Romaji: kimigawarui
• Kanji breakdown: 気 (ki) — spirit, feeling; 味 (mi) — flavour, sense; 悪 (waru) — bad
• Pronunciation: /ki.mi.ɡa.wa.ɾɯ.i/

Meaning

Creepy; eerie; unsettling. A feeling of unease caused by something strange or frightening.

An i-adjective expression describing the sensation of creepiness or unease provoked by something uncanny. 気味 (kimi) means a feeling or sensation, so 気味が悪い literally means 'the feeling is bad.' Often shortened to 気味悪い in casual speech. Used for eerie places, strange people, or disturbing events.

Examples

1. 夜中に知らない番号から電話が来て気味が悪い。 Getting a call from an unknown number in the middle of the night is creepy.
2. あの空き家は気味が悪くて近寄りたくない。 That abandoned house is so eerie that I don't want to go near it.
3. 笑い方が気味が悪いと言われたことがある。 I've been told before that the way I laugh is creepy.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, horror, storytelling, reactions

Tone: uneasy

Origin & History

From 気味 (kimi, feeling/sensation) + が + 悪い (warui, bad). 気味 combines 気 (ki, spirit) and 味 (mi, flavour/sense), creating 'the flavour of one's feeling' — when that feeling tastes bad, something is eerie.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal