Translation guide
A person who looks down on others based on social status, taste, or knowledge. Japanese expresses this through specific personality terms, often tied to education, wealth, or cultural refinement.
Describe someone who acts superior or looks down on people they consider beneath them.
Direct loanword from English. Commonly used in modern Japanese to mean a snob, especially in cultural or intellectual contexts.
He can be a bit of a snob.
Literally 'vulgar person', but used for someone who is materialistic, status-conscious, and snobbish. Often implies a lack of true refinement.
He's rich, but he's just a snob.
Idiomatic phrase meaning 'to be snobbish about something' or 'to look down on others because of something'. Used as a verb phrase.
She is snobbish about her educational background.
Someone who puts on airs of being a gentleman, often with a snobbish attitude. Literally 'gentleman pretender'.
I'm fed up with his snobbish gentleman act.
Describe someone who is snobbish about knowledge, art, music, or refined tastes.
Verb phrase meaning 'to act like an intellectual snob'. Combines 'intellectual' with 'to act like'.
He always acts like an intellectual snob, talking about difficult books.
Someone who pretends to be a cultured person, often with snobbish overtones. Literally 'culture person pretender'.
To act like a connoisseur or expert, often in a snobbish way. '通' means connoisseur, and 'ぶる' means to act like.
Describe someone who looks down on others based on family background, wealth, or social standing.
Refers to the tastes of the nouveau riche, often implying snobbish and ostentatious behavior. Can describe a person or their style.
The interior of his house is snobbish nouveau riche style.
Phrase meaning 'strongly class-conscious'. Describes someone who is very aware of social class and may act snobbishly because of it.
スノッブ is a direct loanword and often refers to intellectual or cultural snobbery, while 俗物 implies a vulgar, materialistic snob. 俗物 is more literary and less common in everyday speech.
He's a snob, but not a vulgar one.
There is no single perfect Japanese word for 'snob'. Using スノッブ is safe in many contexts, but often a descriptive phrase like 鼻にかける or 上から目線 is more natural. Avoid directly translating 'snob' as 俗物 unless you intend a literary or harsh tone.
He's a wine snob.
Often expressed as 'picky about wine' rather than using a direct 'snob' word.
Her snobbish cultured attitude is annoying.
彼はワインに通ぶっているけど、実はあまり知らない。
He acts like a wine snob, but he actually doesn't know much.
He is very class-conscious and always judges people by their alma mater.
Literally 'looking down from above', this common phrase describes a condescending or snobbish attitude. Not limited to class, but often used for social snobbery.
I hate his snobbish, condescending way of speaking.