Meaning and Usage
「嫌う」(きらう) means "to hate" or "to dislike" something or someone strongly. It is often used to express personal dislikes or aversions, whether for food, people, or behaviors.
Common Contexts
This verb is frequently used in everyday conversation to talk about preferences or feelings of dislike. It can be directed at objects, people, or abstract concepts like lies or injustice.
Collocations and Patterns
- 嫌う + noun: to dislike something (e.g., 納豆を嫌う - dislike natto)
- 嫌う + verb phrase (relative clause): to dislike someone who does something (e.g., 嘘をつく人を嫌う - hate people who lie)
- 人を嫌う: to hate people, often used to express a general dislike or prejudice
Register and Nuance
「嫌う」is a neutral to slightly strong word. It is stronger than 好きじゃない (don’t like) but less harsh than 憎む (にくむ, to detest). It is appropriate in both casual and polite contexts but avoid using it in very formal writing.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 嫌う with 嫌がる (いやがる), which means "to show dislike or reluctance" and is used when someone expresses dislike through behavior rather than stating it directly. Remember 嫌う is more direct and internal feeling, while 嫌がる focuses on observable reactions.