How to say "luxury" in Japanese

• 贅沢ぜいたくJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveThe core word for luxury as indulgence or extravagance — enjoying things beyond what is necessary. Covers both the treat-yourself sense and criticism of wasteful spending.
  ジョンソンさんは蓄たくわえてきたお金かねで退職たいしょくしてからもぜいたくに暮くらせるだろう。↗

  With the money Mr Johnson had saved, he would be able to live high on the hog when he retired.
• 高級こうきゅうJLPT N2approx.Common
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers luxury as a quality of expensive, high-grade goods or places, such as high-end hotels or restaurants. It describes the premium class of a thing rather than the act of indulging.
  高級こうきゅうな品物しなものを買かう事ことは、結局けっきょくは損そんにならない。↗

  It pays in the long run to buy goods of high quality.
• 栄華えいがCommon
  nounCovers luxury in the sense of splendour, glory, and prosperous magnificence, often of a past age or a great family. It is a lofty, literary-flavoured word, not everyday shopping talk.
• 華美かびJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveA marginal match: its main sense is showiness or gaudiness, and it usually carries a critical nuance of excessive ornamentation. It is seldom the word you want for luxury itself.

Use 贅沢 for luxury as indulgence or extravagance, 高級 for high-end quality, 栄華 for splendour and glory, and 華美 mainly for gaudy showiness rather than luxury itself.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 贅沢ぜいたくluxury
• 高級こうきゅうhigh-class
• 栄華えいがprosperity
• ラグジュアリーluxury
• 奢侈しゃしluxury
• 栄耀えいようluxury
• 驕奢きょうしゃluxury
• おごりluxury
• 贅ぜいextravagance
• リュクスluxe
• 栄耀栄華えいようえいがwealth, prosperity, and arrogant splendor (splendour)
• 華美かびshowiness