悪口（わるぐち、waruguchi）
- slander/abuse

The Japanese word 悪口, pronounced わるぐち (waruguchi), primarily means "slander," "gossiping," "backbiting," or "speaking ill of someone." It refers to the act of saying negative things about someone, usually when that person is not present to defend themselves. This can involve spreading rumors, criticizing someone's character, appearance, or actions, and generally trying to damage their reputation or cause them harm through words. 悪口 can range from mild criticism to malicious insults.

⚫︎ 彼女はいつも人の《悪口を言っている。》 Translation: She's always gossiping about people. ⚫︎ 彼は同僚の《悪口を上司に言った。》 Translation: He spoke ill of his colleague to his boss. ⚫︎ そんな《悪口はやめてください！》 Translation: Please stop that backbiting!

You can use 悪口 in various contexts when discussing the act of speaking negatively about someone. It's important to be mindful of the situation and the potential consequences of such behavior. It is generally considered impolite and inappropriate to engage in 悪口, particularly in formal settings. You would use this word when either directly referring to the act of 悪口 itself, or describing someone who engages in it. It's also used when reprimanding someone for spreading rumors or saying unkind things.

悪口 is usually written in kanji as 悪口. The reading is わるぐち in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

⚫︎ 陰口 (かげぐち) - gossiping, speaking ill behind someone's back ⚫︎ 誹謗中傷 (ひぼうちゅうしょう) - defamation, slander ⚫︎ 悪態 (あくたい) - bad language, insults ⚫︎ 文句 (もんく) - complaint (can sometimes be related, depending on the context)

There aren't direct antonyms in the same sense, but related concepts include: ⚫︎ 褒め言葉 (ほめことば) - praise ⚫︎ 賞賛 (しょうさん) - praise, admiration ⚫︎ 擁護 (ようご) - defending

友人の《悪口を言うのは、決して良いことではありません。》 ・Translation: It's never a good thing to speak ill of your friends. ・Explanation: This sentence emphasizes the negative aspect of 悪口 and reinforces that it is a poor social behavior.

彼女はいつも人の《悪口ばかり言っているから、誰も彼女の事を信用しない。》 ・Translation: Because she always gossips about people, nobody trusts her. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates the negative consequences of constantly engaging in 悪口, highlighting the loss of trust and social isolation that may result.

The word 悪口 is composed of two kanji: 悪 (わる) meaning "bad" or "evil," and 口 (くち) meaning "mouth." Thus, the literal meaning is "bad mouth" or "evil mouth," reflecting the negative nature of the act. The suffix 口 is commonly used to indicate "words" or "speech" in the context of the meaning of 悪口.