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.
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.
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.
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.
Selfish people are not trusted.
Describing the mindset or behavior of prioritizing oneself, often without malice but with a lack of empathy.
An abbreviation of 自己中心的 (self-centered). Extremely common in casual speech to criticize someone who only thinks about themselves.
His self-centered attitude makes me angry.
A natural phrase meaning 'only thinking about oneself'. It directly describes the egoistic mindset and is widely used in conversation.
Referring to the ethical doctrine that self-interest is the foundation of morality.
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.
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.
You should change your self-centered way of thinking.
He only thinks about himself, so people around him are troubled.
His philosophy is based on egoism.