“Dislike” in Japanese is 嫌い (きらい), pronounced kirai.
Pronunciation
The word has 3 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
To dislike. A な-adjective ending in い. Japanese often softens it to あまり好きじゃない.
Example sentences
- 虫が嫌いです。むしがきらいです。I hate bugs.
- 嫌いな食べ物はありますか。きらいなたべものはありますか。Is there any food you don’t like?
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 嫌い. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | 嫌いな〜 きらいな〜 | dislike (thing) |
| Polite present | 嫌いです きらいです | is dislike |
| Negative | 嫌いじゃないです きらいじゃないです | isn’t dislike |
| Past | 嫌いでした きらいでした | was dislike |
| Past negative | 嫌いじゃなかったです きらいじゃなかったです | wasn’t dislike |
| Adverb (に) | 嫌いに きらいに | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
Test yourself0/3
What does {{嫌い}} mean?
How do you read {{嫌い}}?
Which word means “small”?
Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say dislike in Japanese?
Dislike in Japanese is 嫌い (きらい), pronounced “kirai”.
How do you write dislike in Japanese?
It's written 嫌い with kanji, or きらい in hiragana. Both are read kirai.
Is 嫌い on the JLPT?
Yes. 嫌い (kirai) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.