How to say "selfish" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- na-adjective, nounSelfish in the everyday sense of insisting on one's own way regardless of others, as a spoiled child or demanding person does; typically describes selfish demands or complaints. Usually written in kana alone.
- 身勝手みがってna-adjective, nounSelfish in the sense of acting only for one's own convenience and ignoring other people's circumstances; often disapproving, describing inconsiderate behavior or decisions rather than demands.
- 気ままきままna-adjective, nounReally means doing as one pleases, free and unrestrained; its 'selfish' sense is mild and often neutral or even positive, so it is seldom the word for blaming someone as selfish.
- 打算的ださんてきna-adjectiveSelfish in the calculating sense: weighing one's own advantage and acting on it, with little regard for others; use for mercenary, self-interested attitudes, not for childish willfulness.
Use 「わがまま」 for selfish demands and spoiled self-centeredness, 身勝手 for behavior that ignores others' circumstances, 「気まま」 mainly for free, doing-as-one-pleases living with only a mild selfish tinge, and 打算的 for cold, calculating self-interest.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
