na-adjective, noun
greedy; ruthless; exploitative
Describes actions or methods that are unscrupulously greedy, often at the expense of others. Commonly used in phrases like あこぎな商売 (unscrupulous business) or あこぎな手口 (ruthless tactics).
あの会社のやり方はあこぎだ。
That company's methods are ruthless.
あこぎな商売で儲けるなんて許せない。
I can't forgive making money through exploitative business.
欲張り means simply 'greedy' or 'wanting more than one's share,' while あこぎ implies a more aggressive, unscrupulous, and often cruel greed that harms others.
強欲 is a strong word for 'avarice' or 'greed,' but あこぎ emphasizes the ruthless and exploitative methods rather than just the desire for wealth.
Derived from the place name 阿漕 (Akogi) in Mie Prefecture, where fishing was once prohibited, leading to the association with forbidden, greedy acts. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has come to mean 'ruthlessly greedy.'