Does 「えらい 」also mean "terrible"?


For over a decade of speaking (poorly) and listening to Japanese, it seems to
me that I have almost exclusively heard the word `えらい` in the sense of meaning
"admirable".

For example, I'd mention volunteering in Tohoku, and someone might say `えらいね`
to say "hey, good on you," or something like that. I swear this kind of use of
`えらい` was the only one I was aware of for years.

Then, recently, I'm reading [Tintin](http://www.tintin.co.jp/index2.html) and
I come across this panel:

![Tintin saying えらい](https://i.stack.imgur.com/VOuSY.jpg)

> **Tintin:** えらいときに 来あわせちゃった ([I] happened to arrive at a really bad time!)

The context is that he's just arrived in a town where there is a war brewing
between some local factions, and people are being conscripted for the army.
Tintin fears getting forced into service. A bad time to show up indeed.

That use of `えらい` didn't match my expectations, so I [looked it up in a
dictionary](http://www.jisho.org/words?jap=%E3%81%88%E3%82%89%E3%81%84&eng=&dict=edict),
and to my surprise, `えらい` does indeed mean "terrible", as well as "admirable"
and "excellent".

So... questions abound:

Is this use of `えらい` rare or limited in some way so that the usage that I am
familiar is the dominant use? Or is it me who just happens to not have been
exposed to the whole spectrum of meanings?

It seems from the dictionary that when used in the positive light there are
two kanji, `偉い` and `豪い`. I'm guessing the second kanji is more rare, but is
there a difference in use or meaning?

Lastly, if the sentence `「えらいときに来あわせちゃった」` were taken out of context and
presented completely on its own, is there any way of knowing whether the
positive or negative meaning of `えらい` was intended?




> Or is it me who just happens to not have been exposed to the whole spectrum
> of meanings?

This is the good answer I think. It's quite common, and as far as I'm
concerned, I think I learnt the "terrible" meaning first :)

> 偉い and 豪い.

A quick look at compound words with the first kanji give: excellent deed,
magnificent, great man… and the second: flood devastation, luxurious, wealthy
family, tremendous snowfall…

It seems that the first kanji has only positive compounds (at least, when in
first position), and I have encountered it very often. I have never seen the
second one _alone_ , always in compound words.

> Lastly, if the sentence 「えらいときに来あわせちゃった」 were taken out of context and
> presented completely on its own, is there any way of knowing whether the
> positive or negative meaning of えらい was intended?

Negative, definitely. Look: "ちゃった" says it all. I guess that えらい is a bit like
the English pair "terrible/terrific" which in French happens to be a single
word too "terrible". It can be ambiguous, but in sentences like
"えらい失礼をし(ちゃっ)た", it's crystal clear…




> Or is it me who just happens to not have been exposed to the whole spectrum
> of meanings?

This is the good answer I think. It's quite common, and as far as I'm
concerned, I think I learnt the "terrible" meaning first :)

> 偉い and 豪い.

A quick look at compound words with the first kanji give: excellent deed,
magnificent, great man… and the second: flood devastation, luxurious, wealthy
family, tremendous snowfall…

It seems that the first kanji has only positive compounds (at least, when in
first position), and I have encountered it very often. I have never seen the
second one _alone_ , always in compound words.

> Lastly, if the sentence 「えらいときに来あわせちゃった」 were taken out of context and
> presented completely on its own, is there any way of knowing whether the
> positive or negative meaning of えらい was intended?

Negative, definitely. Look: "ちゃった" says it all. I guess that えらい is a bit like
the English pair "terrible/terrific" which in French happens to be a single
word too "terrible". It can be ambiguous, but in sentences like
"えらい失礼をし(ちゃっ)た", it's crystal clear…

