What does “akuma” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “akuma” to mean ‘devil’ in Japanese. Very simple, I think. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “akuma” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “akuma”
• Akuma in kanji
  • Example #1: how to say “devil” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “akuma”
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “akuma”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “akuma”.

• akuma – 悪魔 (あくま) : a noun meaning ‘devil’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural. Depending on the situation and context, this can also mean ‘demon’, ‘fiend’, or such.

Native speakers use this noun normally to refer to a devil, an evil spirit in Japanese. In addition, they sometimes use it as a metaphor for someone who behaves like a devil. So, its usage is very similar to that of “devil” in English.

The definition and meanings are simple and clear, I think. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.

Akuma in kanji

The kanji expression of “akuma” consists of the following two characters:

• 悪 : a kanji character widely used to mean ‘bad’, ‘evil’, or such in Japanese. This kanji can also be found in other words like “warui“.
• 魔 : a kanji character used to mean ‘devil’, ‘demon’, or something supernatural. This kanji can also be found in other words like “mahou“.

From these two kanji characters, we can understand that “akuma” literally means a bad devil in Japanese. This literal interpretation seems to be completely in line with the meanings. Devils are basically bad and evil.

When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about meanings of words they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “akuma” through the detailed kanji check above.

Then, let me explain how to use “akuma” through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “devil” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “kare” to make the subject word in the sentence.
• ni – に : a case particle used to indicate a particular state or condition which someone or something is in after an action or change. In this example, this is used after “akuma” to say what “kare” would become.
• naru – なる : a verb meaning ‘to become’, ‘to turn’, ‘to get’, or such in Japanese.
• to – と : a case particle working as a quote marker. In the example, this works after “akuma ni naru” to indicate what “kare” said.
• it – 言っ (いっ) : one conjugation of the verb, “iu”, which means ‘to say’, ‘to tell’, or such in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese ta form. In the example, this is used after “it” to make its past tense form, “it ta”.

This is a typical usage of “akuma”. In this example, it refers to a devil. I’ve never seen a person become a devil, but this kind of expression is often used in Japanese movies, manga, anime, and the like, I think.

Example #2: another usage of “akuma”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• tenshi – 天使 (てんし) : a noun meaning ‘angel’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural.
• yori – より : a case particle widely used to indicate a target of comparison. In the example, this is used after “tenshi” to provide the target of the comparison with “akuma”.
• yowai – 弱い (よわい) : an i-adjective meaning ‘weak’ in Japanese.

This is another typical usage of “akuma”. In this example, it works as plural to say “devils” in Japanese. When we want to say “devil” or “devils” in Japanese, this noun is a very good option.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “akuma” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• akuma – 悪魔 (あくま) : a noun meaning ‘devil’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Depending on the situation and context, this can mean ‘demon’ or ‘fiend’ as well. These two kanji characters literally mean a bad devil in Japanese. This literal interpretation seems to be completely in line with the meanings.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.

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