akuten

Akuten is a romanization used for several Japanese terms formed with the kanji 悪 (evil, bad) combined with different second characters. It is not a common standalone word in everyday Japanese; instead, it appears mainly as readings of kanji sequences in specific words or in compound terms. The meaning of akuten depends on the accompanying character and the context.

Two typical examples illustrate how the reading appears in ordinary use. 悪天, read as akuten, is part of the longer word 悪天候 (akutenkou), meaning bad weather or foul conditions. Another example is 悪点, read as akuten, which means a fault or a negative point in scoring or evaluation. In each case, the second character determines the precise sense—weather-related or evaluative—while akuten is the common reading for the kanji sequence.

In addition to these compounds, akuten can surface in other kanji combinations that share the same reading, though such instances are less frequent. The term can also occur as a romanized form for brand names, product lines, or fictional characters, where its meaning shifts with the chosen branding or narrative context. Because akuten is not a single lexical item with a fixed English definition, its interpretation is strongly dependent on the specific kanji pair and usage.

See also: Japanese language, kanji readings, 悪, 天, 点, 悪天候.