Translation guide
This guide covers how to express the idea of 'great wealth' in Japanese, from common words for being rich to more emphatic or literary terms for vast fortune.
The most common, everyday way to say someone has great wealth.
The standard word for a wealthy person. Can be used as a noun or na-adjective.
He is rich.
I was born into a wealthy family.
A slightly more formal na-adjective meaning 'affluent' or 'well-off'. Often used to describe a lifestyle or family background.
I grew up in an affluent household.
Loanword from English 'rich'. Casual and trendy, often used in conversation or advertising.
I long for a rich lifestyle.
Emphasizing a huge amount of wealth, beyond just being well-off.
Focusing on the state of having abundant resources, not just money.
The general word for 'wealth' or 'riches'. Can refer to both material and non-material wealth.
Health is the greatest wealth.
He gave his wealth back to society.
Abstract noun meaning 'abundance', 'richness', or 'affluence'. Often used in discussions of quality of life.
I want to value spiritual richness.
Dramatic or old-fashioned expressions for immense riches.
お金持ち is the most common and neutral way to say someone is rich. 裕福 sounds slightly more formal and is often used to describe upbringing or lifestyle. リッチ is a casual loanword that feels modern and trendy, often used in marketing or light conversation.
Directly translating 'great wealth' as 偉大な富 (idai na tomi) is unnatural. Instead, use set phrases like 巨万の富 or 莫大な財産, or simply describe the person as お金持ち.
He acquired an enormous fortune through that business.
彼は大富豪として知られている。
He is known as a multimillionaire.
A 'billionaire' (literally 'hundred-million millionaire'). Emphasizes astronomical wealth.
He became a billionaire.