Nihoner
卑怯
hikyou
also spelled hikyo
cowardly, craven
All Senses
  1. hikyou cowardly, craven; unfair, mean, sneaky, dirty, dastardly
How it's used

A strong moral accusation used in speech and writing for sneaky, unfair acts that exploit others' trust.

卑怯な手を使うな。
Hikyou na te o tsukau na.
Don't use dirty tricks.

彼の卑怯なやり方には腹が立つ。
Kare no hikyou na yarikata ni wa hara ga tatsu.
His cowardly, underhanded way of doing things makes me angry.

⚖️ Stronger and more morally condemning than 臆病 (okubyou), which simply means timid or easily frightened.

Nihoner AI Pronunciation Engine v3.2 · ja-JP

Press the microphone and say: 卑怯

Ready to listen

Kanji Breakdown
卑
On: ひ Kun: いやしい,いやしむ,いやしめる
8 strokes
怯
Cowardice, Wince, Flinch, Hesitate, Waver
On: きょう,こう Kun: ひる.む,おびえ.る,おじる,おび.える,おそ.れる
8 strokes
How to Use This Word
Noun (名詞)
Pattern
卑怯は〜です。 / 〜の卑怯

💡 Use は or が to mark this word as the topic or subject of a sentence.

Example
この卑怯はとても大切です。
📚

Found in a wide range of contexts. Useful for building reading and listening fluency.

Quick Quiz
📓
My Word Journal

Save personal notes for every word you study — memory hooks, your own sentences, grammar tips, and personal stories.

💡 Memory Hook ✏️ My Sentences 📖 Grammar Notes 📌 Personal Story

Synced to your account · Anki export · Accessible on every device

Create Free Account
Review Premium options
Lexicon Level
Lv 1
Total XP
0
Kanji Novice
— XP to next rank
⚠️
Your XP won't be saved!

Create a free account to sync your level, streaks, and progress across all devices.

🎯 Create Free Account Review Premium options

Already a member? Sign in →

🔥
0 days
Daily Streak
Your History With This Word

Sign in or create a free account to keep your history.

Mastery Tracker

Review scheduling updates after each session.

Difficulty
🟡 Medium

Based on JLPT level, kanji complexity & word length.

Recently Viewed