憎まれ役

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Written 憎まれ役 and read にくまれやく, it is a role that attracts dislike, either as an enforcer in real life or as a villain in a story.
• Basic usage: It appears when someone accepts the unpopular job of enforcing rules and when an actor plays the villain.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Role does not always mean bad person
  • Someone may deliberately accept others' resentment to perform a necessary duty.