貪欲・貪慾|どんよくdon'yoku[0]heiban (flat)
とんよくton'yokuokたんよくtan'yokuok
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Which spelling to use
貪欲貪欲 is the more common written form, expressing greed, avarice, or covetousness. Use it when writing this word.
貪慾貪慾 is a rarely used kanji variant of 貪欲. Learners will seldom need to write it, though they may encounter it.
Definitions
- na-adjective, noungreedy; avaricious; covetous
Conjugation
| Plain form | 貪欲（どんよく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 貪欲です（どんよくです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 貪欲ではない（どんよくではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 貪欲ではありません（どんよくではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 貪欲だった（どんよくだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 貪欲ではなかった（どんよくではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 貪欲で（どんよくで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 貪欲に（どんよくに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 貪欲なら（どんよくなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym欲張りよくばりCasualColloquial and lighter than 「貪欲」: greedily wanting everything, as in 「欲張りな子」. The everyday word for greed, not the formal one.
- Synonym強欲ごうよくNeutralInsatiable greed, strongly negative and leaning toward money, as in 「強欲な商人」. Works in both speech and writing; harsher than 「貪欲」.
- Synonym欲深よくふかWrittenWritten and uncommon: having deep desires. Synonymous with 「欲深い」; rarely replaces 「貪欲」.
- Synonym大欲たいよくWrittenWritten and uncommon: boundless desire, mostly for money and material things. Narrower than 「貪欲」, which covers appetites of any kind.
- Synonym多欲たよくWrittenWritten and uncommon: having many desires. The direct opposite of 「無欲」; rarely used in place of 「貪欲」.
- Synonym貪婪どんらんWrittenLiterary, older than 「貪欲」 and otherwise near-identical in meaning. Found in formal prose; not an everyday substitute.
- Related業突く張りごうつくばりCasualColloquial and abusive: an insatiably greedy, pig-headed person. Unlike 「貪欲」, it labels someone and is thrown as an insult.
- Related貪汚たんおWrittenWritten and very rare, leaning classical: deep greed combined with a base, corrupt heart. Stronger moral condemnation than 「貪欲」.
- Related利欲りよくWrittenWritten: the urge to grab personal gain, as in 「利欲に目がくらむ」. Narrower than 「貪欲」, whose appetite need not be for profit.
- RelatedあこぎCasualColloquial: grasping greed pursued by ruthless, exploitative means, as in 「阿漕な商売」. It condemns the methods, not only the appetite, unlike 「貪欲」.
- Related欲深いよくぶかいNeutralNeutral, usable in speech and writing: having deep desires. Leans toward describing a greedy personality; the adjectival counterpart of 「欲深」.
- Antonym無欲むよくWrittenAntonym, written/formal prose: wanting nothing, free of desire. The direct opposite of 「貪欲」.
- Antonym清貧せいひんWrittenAntonym, written: honourable poverty — living simply without seeking wealth. Opposes the greed of 「貪欲」.
- Antonym知足WrittenAntonym, written: knowing contentment with what one has. Opposes the insatiability of 「貪欲」.
Everyday greed is 「欲張り」. 「貪欲」 is the written word for insatiable greed and can be positive for avid pursuit, as in 「貪欲に知識を吸収する」. Money-focused greed is 「強欲」; 「欲深い」 describes a greedy nature. Colloquial and harsher: 「阿漕」 (exploitative) and 「業突く張り」 (insulting). Written: 「利欲」 (gain), 「貪婪」 (literary), and the little-used 「欲深」「大欲」「多欲」「貪汚」. Opposites: 「無欲」「清貧」「知足」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
