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善し悪し

よしあし

good or bad; right and wrong; merits and demerits; (of a thing) being a mixed blessing

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. それは善し悪しの問題ではない。

    それはよしあしのもんだいではない。

    That isn't a question of right and wrong.

  2. この女の子はまだ小さくて物事の善し悪しが分からない。

    このおんなのこはまだちいさくてものごとのよしあしがわからない。

    The girl is still too young to tell right from wrong.

  3. 子供に自由を与えるのも善し悪しだ。

    こどもにじゆうをあたえるのもよしあしだ。

    Giving children freedom is a mixed blessing.

Common patterns

善し悪しを判断する
to judge whether something is good or bad
物事の善し悪し
right and wrong; the merits of things
～も善し悪しだ
... has its good and bad sides

Memory tip

Learn the second use: ～も善し悪しだ means "that cuts both ways", not simply "it is bad". Also read よしわるし. Built from the literary 善し (good) plus 悪し (bad) — the classical adjective endings you also see in 良し悪し.

Kanji in this word

Quick check

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What does 善し悪し mean?