嫉妬
shitto[ɕi̥t̚to̞]
The English word envy is translated into Japanese as 嫉妬 (shitto). Wiktionary also lists ねたみ (netami).
Meaning: resentful desire of something possessed by another (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 嫉妬 | shitto | [ɕi̥t̚to̞] (narrow) |
| ねたみ | netami | [ne̞ta̠mʲi] (narrow) |
The term refers to the resentful desire for something possessed by another. While the nouns describe the feeling itself, the related verb 羨む is the standard way to express the action of being envious of someone's qualities or situation.
Which one should you use?
嫉妬 is used when the envy is a strong, often painful emotion or jealousy directed at a specific person. In contrast, ねたみ is a more colloquial noun that often implies a sense of spite or a petty feeling of resentment toward someone else's success.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the noun 嫉妬 into a verb meaning to feel or act on jealousy, you add the verb する to create 嫉妬する.
How do you pronounce it?
shitto
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, the feeling of 嫉妬 is sometimes framed as a sign of deep love or affection, particularly in romantic contexts where jealousy is seen as proof of a partner's devotion.
- The term 嫉妬 is frequently used in Japanese pop culture and romance novels to describe a 'yandere' character, where the envy is expressed through an obsessive, often dangerous level of possessiveness.
- The concept of 'envy' in Japanese is often discussed in the context of meiwaku, where expressing one's jealousy too openly is seen as causing a nuisance or emotional burden to others.
Examples in context
- 彼の成功を見て羨ましい気持ちになった。I felt envious when I saw his success.
- 彼の財産に対する嫉妬が彼との友情を台無しにした。Envy towards his wealth ruined our friendship.
- やっぱり、彼女の才能は羨ましい！As expected, her talent is enviable!
- 彼は同僚に対して嫉妬を覚えた。Kare wa dōryō ni taishite shitto o oboeta.He felt envy toward his colleague.
- 成功した友人への嫉妬は良くない。Seikō shita yūjin e no shitto wa yokunai.Envy toward a successful friend is not good.
- 彼女は幼い頃から嫉妬深い性格だ。Kanojo wa osanai koro kara shitobukai seikaku da.She has had an envious personality since she was young.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking about a colleague's promotion.
- 美咲 Misaki彼が昇進して、少し嫉妬しているの。kare ga shoushin shite, sukoshi shitto shite iru no.He got promoted, and I'm feeling a bit of envy.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんも頑張っているし、大丈夫だよ。misaki-san mo ganbatte iru shi, daijoubu da yo.You're working hard too, Misaki, so it's okay.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう。でも、嫉妬しちゃうよね。arigatou. demo, shitto shichau yo ne.Thanks. But it's easy to feel envy, isn't it?
- 陽太 Yota誰にでもある感情だと思うよ。dare ni demo aru kanjou da to omou yo.I think it's a feeling everyone has.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “envy” translations and entries 嫉妬, ねたみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
