自分勝手|じぶんかってjibunkatte[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
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- noun, na-adjectiveselfishness; egotism; egoism; (being) self-centered; without consulting; (doing) as one pleases; one's own free will
Conjugation
| Plain form | 自分勝手(じぶんかって) |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 自分勝手です(じぶんかってです) |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 自分勝手ではない(じぶんかってではない) |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 自分勝手ではありません(じぶんかってではありません) |
| Past (datta) | 自分勝手だった(じぶんかってだった) |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 自分勝手ではなかった(じぶんかってではなかった) |
| Te form (de) | 自分勝手で(じぶんかってで) |
| Adverbial (ni) | 自分勝手に(じぶんかってに) |
| Conditional (nara) | 自分勝手なら(じぶんかってなら) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- SynonymわがままCasualThe most common everyday word for being wilful; stresses pushing your own way regardless of others. Said of adults and children alike, and very close to 「自分勝手」.
- Synonym身勝手みがってNeutralStresses acting only for your own convenience, as in 「身勝手な行動」. Nearly synonymous with 「自分勝手」.
- Synonym勝手かってCasualColloquial; stresses doing things without permission, as in 「勝手に使う」.
- Synonym得手勝手えてかってWrittenWritten/formal prose, and rare even there; stresses doing only what suits your own convenience.
- Synonym手前勝手てまえがってWrittenWritten/formal prose, rarely used; stresses planning only for your own benefit.
- Related一方的いっぽうてきNeutralOne-sided; stresses deciding without regard for the other party, as in 「一方的に話す」.
- Related野放図のほうずWrittenWritten/formal prose; stresses being brazen and unrestrained, with no sense of limits.
- RelatedエゴイスティックNeutralA loanword meaning egoistic; stresses a self-centered, egotistical personality.
- Related利己的りこてきWrittenWritten/formal prose; stresses acting with your own interests first.
- Related我が強いががつよいCasualColloquial; stresses stubbornly holding to your own views and not listening to others.
- Related自由勝手じゆうかってCasualColloquial; stresses acting freely on your own whims, doing just as you please.
- Antonym献身的けんしんてきWrittenAntonym. Written/formal prose; devoted and self-sacrificing, giving of yourself for others — the opposite of 「自分勝手」.
- Antonym利他的りたてきWrittenAntonym. Written/formal prose; altruistic, putting others' interests first — the opposite of selfish 「自分勝手」.
Use 「自分勝手」 for acting only for your own convenience regardless of others, as in 「自分勝手な人」. For a child's (or anyone's) wilfulness say 「わがまま」; in written/formal prose 「利己的」; for doing things without permission, 「勝手に」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


