欲張り・欲ばり|よくばりyokubari[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
欲張り欲張り is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners; use it as your default when writing this word.
欲ばり欲ばり is a less common written variant of 欲張り. Learners should normally choose 欲張り instead.
Definitions
- noun, na-adjectivegreed; avarice; covetousness; greedy person
Conjugation
| Plain form | 欲張り（よくばり） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 欲張りです（よくばりです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 欲張りではない（よくばりではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 欲張りではありません（よくばりではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 欲張りだった（よくばりだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 欲張りではなかった（よくばりではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 欲張りで（よくばりで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 欲張りに（よくばりに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 欲張りなら（よくばりなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym貪欲どんよくWrittenWritten/formal word for insatiable greed, as in 「貪欲に知識を吸収する」; can also be praise for a strong thirst for knowledge, while 「欲張り」 is a colloquial scolding.
- Synonym強欲ごうよくNeutralGreed as a settled character trait, as in 「強欲な商人」; stronger and more harshly condemnatory than 「欲張り」.
- Synonym欲深よくふかNeutralRefers to deep-seated greed but is rarely used; in everyday speech 「欲深い」 is the usual choice.
- Related大欲たいよくWrittenWritten word for enormous greed, seen mostly in the proverb 「大欲は無欲に似たり」.
- Related多欲たよくWrittenWritten word meaning having many desires; rare.
- Related欲深いよくぶかいNeutralAn adjective for greedy, as in 「欲深い人」; at home in both speech and writing.
- Related貪婪どんらんWrittenWritten word for greed with a literary, Sino-Japanese flavor; rare.
- Related利欲りよくWrittenWritten word for greed for personal gain, as in 「利欲に目がくらむ」; the focus is on money and profit.
- RelatedあこぎNeutralInsatiable and over the line in how one acts, as in 「あこぎな商売」; strongly derogatory.
- Antonym無欲むよくNeutralThe antonym: free of desire for anything, the direct opposite of 「欲張り」.
- Antonym清貧せいひんWrittenWritten word for honorable poverty — being poor yet honest and content; stands opposite the greed of 「欲張り」.
For everyday greed — wanting everything — use 「欲張り」 (「欲張りな子」). Use 「強欲」 for heavier, strongly condemnatory greed, 「貪欲」 in written prose or for a praiseworthy thirst for knowledge, and 「あこぎ」 for ruthless, over-the-line conduct. The opposite is 「無欲」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
