bad guy
bad guy — noun
1. the main evil character in a book, film, or play, whose job is to cause problems
the main evil character in a book, film, or play, whose job is to cause problems for the hero or main character.
In the latest superhero film, Selim plays the bad guy who wants to destroy the city.
collocation: play the bad guy / be the bad guy
Children watching cartoons usually cheer for the hero and boo at the bad guy.
Trang's favourite bad guy in fiction is the shark from the film 'Jaws'.
Hugo's younger brother always wants to dress as the bad guy at Halloween.
- villain
more formal; the standard term for an evil character in a story
- baddie
very informal, often used by children or in light-hearted contexts
- antagonist
formal term used in literary analysis; may not be morally evil, just opposed to the protagonist
- hero
the main good character who fights the bad guy
用法筆記
This sense is used mainly for fictional characters in movies, books, TV shows, or comics. For real people who do bad things, sense 2 is more appropriate.
常見錯誤
2. a real person who is thought of as morally bad or evil, for example a criminal,
a real person who is thought of as morally bad or evil, for example a criminal, an enemy in a conflict, or someone who deserves blame for a problem.
The police arrested the bad guys who had been stealing cars across three counties.
plural form: bad guys
During the war, each side described the other as the bad guys.
When the factory closed down, the workers wanted to know who the real bad guys were.
Obi refuses to deal with that company because he thinks they are the bad guys in the industry.
- good guy
the opposite in the same informal register
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (bad guys) to label a group. In conflicts, both sides may call each other the bad guys, so the term is subjective.
常見錯誤
3. a person who willingly takes the role of being strict, harsh, or unpopular, espe
a person who willingly takes the role of being strict, harsh, or unpopular, especially in a situation where someone has to give orders, say no, or enforce rules that others dislike.
Coach Lukas has to be the bad guy and tell players their performance is not good enough.
collocation: be the bad guy (take an unpopular role)
Megan hates being the bad guy, but someone must tell the children they cannot stay up late.
The manager played the bad guy at the meeting and announced the unpopular pay cuts.
Andrei was the bad guy in the group project because he had to enforce the deadline.
- hard-liner
someone who refuses to change their strict position
- disciplinarian
someone who believes in strict discipline, especially with children
- good cop
the opposite role in a good cop / bad cop dynamic; the lenient, understanding figure
用法筆記
This sense appears in workplace, parenting, or team settings. The person being called the bad guy is not necessarily evil — they are simply taking a difficult or unpopular role that someone has to fill.