よがる

よ

が

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

よがる · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	よがる	よがらない
Polite	よがります	よがりません
Past polite	よがりました	よがりませんでした
Past	よがった	よがらなかった
Te-form	よがって	よがらないで
Desire	よがりたい	よがりたくない
Potential	よがれる	よがれない
Passive	よがられる	よがられない
Causative	よがらせる	よがらせない
Causative passive	よがらせられるalso よがらされる	よがらせられないalso よがらされない
Volitional	よがろう
Polite volitional	よがりましょう
Imperative	よがれ	よがるな
Conditional	よがれば	よがらなければ
Tara conditional	よがったら	よがらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

feel satisfied; be pleased with oneself; be proud

usually written using kana alone

Describes a state of self-satisfaction or contentment, often with a nuance of being pleased with one's own situation or achievements. Can carry a slightly self-congratulatory tone.

彼かれは自じ分ぶんの成せい功こうによがっている。
He is feeling satisfied with his own success.
あまりよがらないほうがいいよ。
You shouldn't be too pleased with yourself.

Kanji

善virtuous, good, goodness
良good, pleasing, skilled

Related words

満まん足ぞくする
満足する is a more general and neutral term for being satisfied, while よがる often implies a self-focused, sometimes smug satisfaction.
得とく意いになる
得意になる means to become proud or boastful, often in a more outwardly expressive way, whereas よがる is more about an internal feeling of self-satisfaction.

Written forms

よがるUsage92%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 善がる and 良がる are rare and may not be widely recognized.
善よがるUsage8%
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form is strongly preferred.
良よがる
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form is strongly preferred.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective 良い (よい, good) combined with the suffix がる, which expresses feeling or showing signs of a state. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it likely emerged as a colloquial expression for self-satisfaction.