えげつない
nasty, ruthless
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
えげつないやり方だ。
えげつないやりかただ。
It is a ruthless way of doing things.
えげつない値段だった。
えげつないねだんだった。
The price was obscene.
あの会社のやり口はえげつないと評判だ。
あのかいしゃのやりくちはえげつないとひょうばんだ。
That firm has a reputation for underhanded tactics.
Common patterns
- えげつないやり方
- underhanded tactics
- えげつない商売
- unscrupulous business
- えげつないほど
- outrageously, absurdly
Memory tip
Kansai in origin and thoroughly casual — never use it in formal writing. The core sense is 'unscrupulously nasty', but younger speakers also use it as a plain intensifier, so えげつない味 may well be a compliment.
Quick check
1 / 1Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does えげつない mean?