貪
covet, indulge in
Readings
On'yomi
- タン
- ドン
- トン
Kun'yomi
- むさぼ.る
Meaning
貪 centers on an intense, often excessive desire: coveting what others have or indulging greedily in something.
Most common words using 貪
- 貪欲どんよくN1
greedy; avaricious; covetous
- 貪るむさぼるN1
to covet; to crave; to be greedy for; to hunger for; to lust insatiably for
- 貪たん
coveting
- 貪食どんしょく
voracity; ravenousness
- 快を貪るかいをむさぼる
to enjoy oneself to the full
- 無貪むとん
non-craving; non-coveting
- 突慳貪つっけんどん
blunt; curt; brusque
- 貪り尽くすむさぼりつくす
to consume greedily
- 貪り食うむさぼりくう
to eat greedily; to devour; to wolf down; to gobble up
- 貪り食らうむさぼりくらう
to devour greedily
- 貪婪どんらん
avarice; greed
- 貪官汚吏たんかんおり
corrupt government official
- 貪愛とんあい
attachment; craving
- 貪戻たんれい
avariciousness and inhumanity
- 貪欲とんよく
raga (desire)
- 貪欲法どんよくほう
greedy algorithm
- 貪汚たんお
greed; corruption
- 貪瞋痴とんじんち
the three kilesas that poison the heart of man (greed, hatred and delusion)
- 貪食細胞どんしょくさいぼう
phagocyte
Study
Etymology
貪 combines 今 (now) with 貝 (shell/money), suggesting a desire to have wealth immediately. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component combination points to covetousness.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 今 means 'now', and the bottom 貝 is a shell, an old form of money. Picture someone who sees money and immediately wants it for themselves—that's coveting.
Reading mnemonic
For タン, imagine a greedy person eyeing a tan-colored treasure chest: tan -> タン, and they can't stop coveting it.