Translation guide
The concept of egotism — excessive self-importance, self-centeredness, or talking too much about oneself — can be expressed in Japanese through various nouns, adjectives, and phrases. The most common and versatile term is 自己中心的 (jikochūshinteki), meaning self-centered. For boasting or conceit, うぬぼれ (unubore) is widely used. More formal or psychological terms exist but are less common in daily conversation.
Describing a person who thinks only of themselves, disregards others, or acts selfishly.
A na-adjective meaning self-centered or egocentric. Very common in everyday speech to describe someone who only thinks about themselves.
A na-adjective meaning selfish or egoistic. More formal than 自己中心的, often used in written or analytical contexts.
You should avoid selfish behavior.
A na-adjective meaning selfish or doing as one pleases without considering others. Casual and commonly used in daily conversation.
It's tiring to deal with selfish people.
A loanword from English 'egoism', used in philosophical or psychological contexts. Not common in everyday speech.
His actions are based on egoism.
Describing someone who is overly proud, vain, or has an exaggerated sense of their own importance or abilities.
A noun meaning conceit, vanity, or being full of oneself. Often used in the phrase うぬぼれる (to be conceited). Very common.
He is very conceited.
Don't be so full of yourself.
Kanji form of うぬぼれ, same meaning but more often seen in writing.
A noun meaning conceit, arrogance, or getting too big for one's boots. Implies a haughty attitude.
A noun meaning self-conceit, pride, or overconfidence. Often used in warnings or moral advice.
Describing the act of constantly talking about one's own achievements, qualities, or experiences in a boastful or self-absorbed way.
Literally 'to do boasting talk'. A common phrase for bragging or telling boastful stories about oneself.
He's always bragging about himself.
A noun meaning desire for self-display or exhibitionism. Used in psychology or to describe someone who constantly seeks attention.
I'm amazed at his need for self-display.
A straightforward phrase meaning 'to talk only about oneself'. Natural and easy to use.
She only talks about herself.
Referring to egotism in a philosophical or ethical sense, such as ethical egoism or psychological egoism.
All three can translate 'selfish' or 'egotistic', but they differ in nuance. 自己中心的 (jikochūshinteki) emphasizes a self-centered worldview, where one's own perspective is the only one that matters. 自分勝手 (jibunkatte) focuses on acting willfully without regard for others, often in specific situations. 利己的 (rikoteki) is more formal and implies a calculated pursuit of self-interest, often used in ethical or analytical contexts.
Self-centered people don't consider others' feelings.
Don't act selfishly.
Act from selfish motives.
Directly translating 'egotism' as エゴティズム is rarely natural outside academic contexts. In daily conversation, use more specific terms like 自己中心的 or うぬぼれ depending on the nuance you want to convey.
自惚れは禁物だ。
Conceit is a no-no.
That's the height of arrogance.
慢心は失敗のもとだ。
Pride comes before a fall.
エゴティズムの概念を説明する。
Explain the concept of egotism.