欲よく張ばり

よ

く

ば

り

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective

greed; avarice; greedy person

Describes a strong desire for more than one needs, often in a negative sense. Can refer to the trait itself or a person who is greedy.

彼かれは欲

よく

張ば

り

だ

から

、

いつも

お

菓か

子し

を

一人ひとり

で

全ぜん

部ぶ

食た

べ

て

しまう

。

He's greedy, so he always eats all the snacks by himself.

欲よく張ばりは結けっ局きょく損そんをするものだ。

Greed often ends up causing you to lose out.

Usage patterns

欲よく張ばりな〈人ひと〉a greedy person
彼かれは欲よく張ばりな人ひとで、何なんでも自じ分ぶんのものにしたがる。
He's a greedy person who wants everything for himself.
欲よく張ばりすぎるto be too greedy
欲よく張ばりすぎて全ぜん部ぶのチャンスを失うしなってしまった。
I was too greedy and ended up losing all my chances.
〈人ひと〉は欲よく張ばりだsomeone is greedy
彼かの女じょは本ほん当とうに欲よく張ばりだと思おもう。
I think she's really greedy.

Kanji

欲longing, covetousness, greed
張counter for bows & stringed instruments, stretch, spread

Related words

欲よく深ぶかいN1
欲張り describes greed as a noun or trait/person, while 欲深い is an adjective meaning deeply or insatiably greedy, with a more literary tone.
強ごう欲よく
強欲 is a stronger, more formal word for avarice or rapacity, often used critically, while 欲張り is the everyday word for a greedy trait or person.
貪どん欲よくN1
貪欲 is a formal, literary term for insatiable greed or voracity, whereas 欲張り is the common, casual word for greed.
欲よく深ふかN1
欲張り is the common, everyday word for being greedy or selfish about wanting things, while 欲深 is a stronger, more literary term implying deep-seated, insatiable greed.

Opposites

無む欲よくN1
無欲 means free of desire or unselfish, the opposite of 欲張り, which describes greed or a greedy person.

Counted with

人にん
When 欲張り refers to a greedy person, it is counted with 人, as in 欲張りな人が二人いる.

Word family

欲よく張ばり法ほう
greedy algorithm

Written forms

欲よく張ばりUsage65%
Standard kanji spelling with high frequency priority.
よくばりUsage23%
欲よくばりUsage12%
Mixed kana-kanji variant; less common but still encountered.

Etymology

Compound of 欲 (yoku, 'desire') and 張り (hari, from 張る, 'to stretch' or 'to insist'), suggesting a person who stretches their desires too far. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.