Translation guide
A person who eats too much or is overly fond of eating. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through nouns, adjectives, and idiomatic phrases, with nuances ranging from playful to harsh.
Describing someone who habitually overeats or is greedy with food.
A common, somewhat playful term for someone who loves to eat a lot. Often used for children or in a light-hearted way.
My child is a real glutton and eats anything well.
A more formal or literary term for a big eater. Often used in written descriptions.
He is a glutton; he polished off three pizzas by himself.
Refers to someone who is a gourmand or lives to eat, often with a connotation of indulgence and pleasure-seeking in food.
He's a glutton for food, spending weekends touring high-end restaurants.
Describing the behavior or attitude of eating greedily, often with negative connotations.
An onomatopoeic adverb describing eating greedily or ravenously. Can also imply a desperate eagerness.
He wolfed down his meal greedily.
Means greedy or avaricious, but can be used for food to imply an insatiable appetite. Often used in compound phrases.
A simile meaning 'like a hungry wolf,' used to describe someone eating voraciously.
Using 'glutton' metaphorically for someone who overindulges in something, like punishment or work.
食いしん坊 is casual and often affectionate, suitable for kids or friends. 大食漢 is more formal and descriptive, used in writing or to emphasize the sheer volume of food consumed.
The English word 'glutton' can sound harsh or judgmental. In Japanese, direct translations like 食いしん坊 are softer. Use with care depending on context.
彼の食欲は貪欲そのものだ。
His appetite is sheer gluttony.
He fell upon the food like a ravenous wolf.