強欲
gōyoku[ɡo̞ːjo̞kɯ̟]
Avarice in Japanese is 強欲 (gōyoku).
強欲 refers to an excessive or inordinate desire for gain. It is often used in literary, religious or moral contexts to describe a fundamental character flaw or a sin.
Meaning: excessive or inordinate desire of gain (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji 強 (strong/intense) and 欲 (desire/greed).
Which one should you use?
While 強欲 implies a deep-seated, intense greed, the word 欲張り is a more common, colloquial way to describe someone who is being greedy or stingy in daily life.
How do you pronounce it?
gōyoku
Did you know?
- In Japanese Buddhism, the intense greed represented by 強欲 is considered one of the 'Three Poisons' that prevent enlightenment.
- The kanji 欲 used in 強欲 is a simplified substitute for the more complex character 慾, which specifically denotes selfish or greedy desire.
- While 強欲 sounds heavy and moralistic, the common word 欲張り (yokubari) can be used playfully to describe a child who wants all the sweets.
Examples in context
- 彼は強欲で、お金のために何でもしようとします。He is greedy and willing to do anything for money.
- 彼女は欲張りで、いつも新しいものを欲しがる。She is greedy and always wants new things.
- 彼の強欲さには驚いた。kare no gouyokusa ni wa odoroita.I was surprised by his avarice.
- 強欲は人を不幸にする。gouyoku wa hito o fukou ni suru.Avarice makes people unhappy.
- 強欲な商人は信頼できない。gouyoku na shounin wa shinrai dekinai.An avaricious merchant cannot be trusted.
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are discussing a greedy character in a movie.
- 結衣 Yuiこの悪役は本当に強欲ですね。Kono akuyaku wa hontō ni gōyoku desu ne.This villain is truly avaricious, isn't he?
- 大翔 Hirotoええ、お金のためなら何でもします。Ee, okane no tame nara nan demo shimasu.Yes, he'll do anything for money.
- 結衣 Yui強欲さが彼を破滅させるでしょう。Gōyoku-sa ga kare o hametsu saseru deshō.His avarice will probably lead to his ruin.
- 大翔 Hirotoきっとそうなると思います。Kitto sō naru to omoimasu.I think that will surely happen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “avarice” translations and entries 強欲, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 強欲, CC BY-SA 4.0.
