Bad Juju Definition
Bad juju means bad vibes or bad luck. It’s a term that people use when they feel like something has a negative vibe or aura. For example, you could say that a spooky old house on your street has bad juju because it seems like it might be haunted. Or, you could say that a necklace that was a gift from a terrible ex has bad juju because it still carries some of that ex’s negative energy. The term is usually used in a superstitious context, and it’s often associated with a belief in negative supernatural forces that can bring you misfortune. Actions that people believe bring bad luck (like walking under a ladder or opening an umbrella inside) can also be described as bringing “bad juju” to your life. “Bad juju” is primarily used as a noun (“I don’t like that place—it has bad juju,” or “A black cat ran in front of me today, and now I’m afraid of the bad juju”).
Examples of How to Use “Bad Juju”
Use “bad juju” to describe something that has negative energy. This could be a place that has bad vibes or an object that you think carries bad luck. Here are some examples: “I hate going to that restaurant because my boyfriend and I always get into a fight when we’re there. It has some serious bad juju.” “My old apartment definitely had bad juju from whoever lived there before. You could really feel the negative energy in there.” “My old best friend gave me that bracelet, but we had a major falling out. I don’t wear it anymore because I feel like it carries some bad juju.” “He refuses to wear that jersey now because it was the one he was wearing when his favorite team lost the superbowl. He thinks it has bad juju.” “This antique doll belonged to my great-great grandmother, but I’ve always thought it was a little creepy and haunted-looking. It might have some bad juju.”
Use “bad juju” when you’re experiencing bad luck. When you’re dealing with a lot of misfortune or unexpected negative circumstances, you could say that you’re being hit with some negative juju. You can also use this term to describe someone else’s situation if they’re dealing with bad luck. For example: “We’re remodeling our house, but everything has been going wrong. We found mold, water damage, termites—It must be bad juju or something!” “I walked under a ladder this morning, and now I think I’m dealing with some bad juju. I spilled my coffee all over myself, got into a fender bender, and ended up being late to work.” “There’s gotta be some bad juju associated with that TV show. Every single actor who was on it ended up being involved in a major scandal or suffering from a big tragedy.”
Origins of the Term “Bad Juju”
The term “bad juju” has roots in West African spiritual traditions. In this context, “juju” refers to an object infused with magical or spiritual power, like an amulet, charm, or fetish. The practice of juju can be used for positive, healing purposes, but it can also be used for negative deeds. For example, objects infused with negative juju are thought to bring negative spiritual effects to any person who comes in contact with them, which is likely where the colloquial term “bad juju” evolved from. The word “juju” can refer to the object, the magical power itself, or the belief system as a whole.
Related Words and Phrases
Bad vibes A “vibe” refers to the aura, mood, or energy that something gives off. As a result, the term “bad vibe” can be used in a super similar way to “bad juju.” It basically means that something has negative or “off” energy. For example: “That house has a bad vibe. It’s really dark and spooky in there.” “Her new boyfriend gives off bad vibes. I think he’s a shady character.” “There were bad vibes at that party. The energy was really tense and uncomfortable.”
Jinx “Jinx” essentially means bad luck or negative energy. It can be used as a noun (“I always have a terrible day when I wear this shirt. It must have a jinx on it!”) or as a verb (“I had a bad feeling that we were going to lose the game, and I think my negative energy jinxed us.”) Here are a few more examples: “I started celebrating before the election was officially over, and I think it jinxed us. We ended up losing at the last minute.” “There must be a jinx on that band. All of their members caught the flu at the same time, so they had to cancel their biggest concert ever.”
Bad karma In Buddhism and Hinduism, “karma” is the idea that your actions in this life determine what will happen to you in your next life. In a more general sense, the term “karma” has evolved to mean that people experience the consequences of their actions. In other words, negative actions are thought to bring “bad karma,” just like certain objects are thought to bring “bad juju.” “Our team lost, but I blame myself. I think I brought bad karma on us because I was cocky and rude to the other team beforehand.” “I was upset when I saw him with his new boyfriend, but I was nice and wished him well. If I was mean to them, it would have brought me bad karma.”
Comments
0 comment