Translation guide
A person who is excessively self-centered or selfish. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through nouns, adjectives, and descriptive phrases that emphasize self-interest and lack of consideration for others.
Describing someone who always puts their own interests first, often at the expense of others.
A direct translation of 'egoist', meaning someone who adheres to egoism as a principle. It is a formal, somewhat academic term.
Describing the mindset or behavior of prioritizing oneself, often without malice but with a lack of empathy.
Referring to the ethical doctrine that self-interest is the foundation of morality.
The philosophical term for egoism. It is used in academic or intellectual discussions about ethics.
In English, 'egoist' can be distinguished from 'egotist' (a person who boasts about themselves). In Japanese, both are often translated as 利己主義者 or エゴイスト, but 自己中 emphasizes self-centeredness rather than boastfulness. For 'egotist', consider うぬぼれ屋 (conceited person) or 自己顕示欲が強い人 (person with a strong desire to show off).
While エゴイスト is understood, it can sound like a direct loanword and may not always fit natural Japanese. In most everyday situations, 自分勝手 or 自己中 are more idiomatic and less stiff.
He is a complete egoist.
A loanword from English, commonly used in casual conversation to describe a selfish person. It carries a slightly modern or Western nuance.
あの人は本当にエゴイストだね。
That person is a real egoist, isn't he?
A very common and natural way to describe a selfish person in everyday Japanese. It emphasizes doing things one's own way without regard for others.
彼女は自分勝手な人だから、友達が少ない。
She is a selfish person, so she has few friends.
An adjective phrase meaning 'selfish person'. It is slightly more formal than 自分勝手な人 and often used in written contexts.
利己的な人は信頼されない。
Selfish people are not trusted.
An abbreviation of 自己中心的 (self-centered). Extremely common in casual speech to criticize someone who only thinks about themselves.
彼の自己中な態度には腹が立つ。
His self-centered attitude makes me angry.
The full form of 自己中, meaning self-centered. It is used in both spoken and written Japanese, but slightly more formal than the abbreviation.
自己中心的な考え方を改めるべきだ。
You should change your self-centered way of thinking.
A natural phrase meaning 'only thinking about oneself'. It directly describes the egoistic mindset and is widely used in conversation.
彼は自分のことしか考えないから、周りが迷惑している。
He only thinks about himself, so people around him are troubled.
利己主義は倫理学の一つの立場です。
Egoism is one position in ethics.
The loanword for 'egoism', often used in philosophical contexts or when discussing Western thought.
彼の思想はエゴイズムに基づいている。
His philosophy is based on egoism.