Translation guide
The act of allowing oneself to enjoy pleasures or desires, often excessively. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various words and phrases that emphasize different aspects: physical pleasure, emotional pampering, lack of restraint, or selfishness.
Expressing the idea of indulging in enjoyable activities or treats, often with a nuance of giving in to one's desires.
Literally 'a reward to oneself'. This is a very common and natural way to express treating oneself, often used for small indulgences like buying something nice or eating something special.
今日は自分へのご褒美にケーキを買った。
Today I bought a cake as a treat for myself.
Means 'luxury' or 'extravagance'. It implies indulging in something expensive or high-quality, often beyond one's usual means.
たまには贅沢して高級レストランに行こう。
Let's splurge and go to a fancy restaurant for once.
Means 'to pamper' or 'to spoil'. Often used when indulging oneself or someone else in a way that might be seen as overly lenient.
休日は自分を甘やかして一日中寝ていた。
On my day off, I pampered myself and slept all day.
Describing behavior where one gives in to desires without control, often with negative connotations of overindulgence.
Means 'self-indulgence' or 'licentiousness'. It implies a lack of self-restraint, often used in formal or written contexts to describe a lifestyle of excess.
彼の放縦な生活が健康を害した。
His self-indulgent lifestyle ruined his health.
Means 'self-indulgent' and 'dissipated', often implying laziness and moral looseness. It describes a person who gives in to easy pleasures and neglects responsibilities.
Literally 'to live according to one's desires'. This phrase describes a lifestyle of pursuing pleasure without restraint.
彼は欲望のままに生きて、借金を重ねた。
He lived self-indulgently and accumulated debt.
Focusing on indulging oneself in a way that disregards others, often with a nuance of selfishness.
Means 'selfish' or 'willful'. It is commonly used to describe someone who does whatever they want without considering others, often in a childish or demanding way.
彼女のわがままにはもう我慢できない。
I can't put up with her self-indulgence anymore.
Means 'selfish' or 'self-centered'. It emphasizes acting for one's own convenience or benefit without regard for others.
Describing the act of overindulging in a particular sensory pleasure, often with a focus on consumption.
Means 'overdrinking and overeating'. It specifically refers to excessive indulgence in food and alcohol.
年末は暴飲暴食に注意しましょう。
Be careful not to overindulge in food and drink during the year-end holidays.
Simple verbs meaning 'to overeat' or 'to overdrink'. These are the most straightforward ways to express indulging too much in food or drink.
昨日食べ過ぎてお腹が痛い。
I overindulged yesterday and now my stomach hurts.
贅沢 implies luxury and often involves spending money on high-quality items or experiences. 自分へのご褒美 is more about treating oneself as a reward, and can be used for small, everyday indulgences.
The English word 'self-indulgence' does not have a single direct equivalent in Japanese. Translating it literally as 自己耽溺 (じこたんでき) is rarely used and sounds unnatural. Choose the expression that best fits the specific nuance you want to convey.
Stop living such a self-indulgent life.
Such self-indulgent behavior is unacceptable.