Japanese word

欲深い

Pronunciation

Romajiyokubukai

Meaning

  • i-adjectivegreedy

Example

彼は欲深いです。kare wa yoku fuka i de su

He is greedy.

Illustration for 欲深い (greedy)

More examples

欲深い要求をすると、周りの人が困ってしまいます。yoku buka i yō kyū o su ru to mawa ri no hito ga koma tte shi ma i ma su

If you make greedy demands, the people around you will have trouble.

Core concept

It refers to wanting more money, possessions, or advantage than is reasonable, with little sense of restraint.

Common phrases

  • 欲深い人yoku buka i hito

    greedy person

  • 欲深い性格yoku buka i sei kaku

    greedy personality

Similar words

がめついgametsui: It describes an aggressive desire to gain money or other benefits.
意地汚いijikitanai: It describes an unpleasant eagerness to get or keep more than one's share.
卑しいiyashii: It describes a low and selfish desire for wealth or possessions.

Definition in Japanese

金銭や物などを、限度をわきまえず手に入れようとするさま。kin sen ya mono na do o gen do o wa ki ma e zu te ni i re yō to su ru sa ma

Word origin

欲深い (yokubukai) combines the Sino-Japanese noun 欲 (yoku, "desire") with the native Japanese adjective 深い (fukai, "deep"), whose initial f becomes b through rendaku.

Usage tips

  • 欲深い (yokubukai) usually carries moral criticism, describing a person's excessive desire rather than merely a strong wish.

Opposites

  • 無欲muyokuunselfishna-adjective

Related words

  • 欲深さyokufukasagreednoun

Word lists with this word