不評

ふひょう

bad reputation, disgrace, unpopularity

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Understanding 不評

The word 不評 (ふひょう) refers to a negative reputation or unpopularity. It is often used to describe things like movies, products, ideas, or performances that receive criticism or fail to gain approval from people.

Usage and Nuance

不評 is a noun and typically appears in formal or written contexts, such as news reports, reviews, or business discussions. It conveys a sense of public disapproval or poor reception. When you use 不評, you imply that something is widely regarded negatively.

Common Collocations

  • 不評を買う: to earn a bad reputation or criticism
  • 不評になる: to become unpopular or receive bad reviews
  • 不評を受ける: to receive negative feedback

These phrases are useful when discussing public opinion or reactions.

Register and Politeness

不評 is neutral to formal in tone. It is not casual and is rarely used in everyday conversation unless discussing serious topics.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 不評 with 評判 (ひょうばん), which means reputation but can be positive or negative. 不評 specifically means negative reputation, so use it only when emphasizing bad reviews or unpopularity.

Example Sentences

そのえいがはふひょうで、かんきゃくからおおくのひはんをうけた。

That movie had a bad reputation and received a lot of criticism from the audience.

あたらしいせいひんはふひょうだったため、すぐにはんばいちゅうしになった。

The new product was unpopular, so it was quickly discontinued.

かれのていあんはふひょうをかい、かいぎでひていされた。

His proposal earned a bad reputation and was rejected at the meeting.