selfish; self-indulgent; arbitrary
Describes acting solely according to one's own desires or whims, without regard for others or rules. Often used in literary or formal contexts.
He behaved selfishly, without considering the trouble he caused others.
A dictator who wields power arbitrarily.
わがまま is the common, everyday word for 'selfish' or 'willful'. ほしいまま is more literary and emphasizes acting on one's desires without restraint, often with a nuance of arbitrariness or self-indulgence.
自分勝手 is a common word for 'selfish' or 'self-centered', focusing on doing things one's own way without considering others. ほしいまま is more formal and less conversational.
肆 is the formal, legal-document variant of 四 used to prevent alteration of the numeral, much like 壱 for 一.
Kana spelling is standard; usually written in kana.
Kanji form; rare and mostly literary. The character 恣 carries the meaning of 'selfish' or 'arbitrary'.
Rare kanji variant; not commonly used.
Rare kanji variant; 縦 is more commonly read たて or じゅう.
Rare kanji variant; 肆 is an uncommon character.
The exact derivation is uncertain. It may be related to the classical adjective ほし (desired) and the suffix まま (as it is), suggesting 'as one desires'.