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    ゲンが悪い (gen ga warui - to be a bad omen)

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral

    How it works

    This is a fixed expression combining the noun ゲン (gen, short for 験/験担ぎ meaning 'omen' or 'superstition') with the particle が (ga) and the i-adjective 悪い (warui, meaning 'bad'). It literally translates to 'the omen is bad'. It describes a situation, event, or thing that is perceived to bring bad luck or be a negative sign.

    Sample sentences

    試合前にカラスが鳴くのは、ゲンが悪い気がする。

    I feel like a crow cawing before a match is a bad omen.

    昨日から立て続けに良くないことが起きて、なんだかゲンが悪いね。

    Bad things have been happening one after another since yesterday; it feels kind of unlucky, doesn't it?

    このルートはいつも渋滞するから、ゲンが悪いと思って避けている。

    This route is always jammed, so I avoid it, thinking it's bad luck.

    Quick facts

    nuance:While similar to 縁起が悪い (engi ga warui), ゲンが悪い often has a slightly more casual or personal feel, referring to a specific situation or feeling rather than a general concept of bad luck.
    etymology:ゲン (gen) is a shortened form of 験 (gen) or 験担ぎ (gentatsugi), referring to signs, omens, or superstitions. It is often written in katakana to emphasize its colloquial nature or as a loanword, even though its origin is Japanese.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    試合前にカラスが鳴くのは、ゲンが悪い気がする。

    I feel like a crow cawing before a match is a bad omen.

    昨日から立て続けに良くないことが起きて、なんだかゲンが悪いね。

    Bad things have been happening one after another since yesterday; it feels kind of unlucky, doesn't it?

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