悪戯

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
悪	戯
Grade: 3	Grade: S
irregular

Alternative spelling
惡戲 (kyūjitai)

From 徒 (itazura, “useless, vain”).

The kanji are jukujikun (熟字訓), from 悪 (“evil, bad”) + 戯 (“frolic”).

Noun

1. tease, prank, trick, practical joke, mischief
   • 1906, Natsume Sōseki, Botchan‎^[1]:
     :

     この外(ほか)いたずらは大分(だいぶ)やった。

     Konohoka itazura wa daibu yatta.

     Besides the above, I did many other mischiefs.

2. playing with (a lighter, for example), tampering with, fooling around with, messing around with
3. hobby, pastime
4. action that is a considered a misconduct (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)
5. sexual assault, molestation, rape

Usage notes

• This term is often spelled in hiragana.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 悪戯(いたずら)っ子(こ) (itazurakko)
• 悪戯(いたずら)書(が)き (itazura-gaki)
• 悪戯(いたずら)好(ず)き (itazura-zuki)
• 悪戯(いたずら)電話(でんわ) (itazura denwa)
• 悪戯(いたずら)者(もの) (itazura-mono)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
悪	戯
あく Grade: 3	ぎ Grade: S
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
惡戲 (kyūjitai)

From the on'yomi reading of the ateji spelling.

Noun

1. Same as いたずら (itazura) above.