Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 暴食 | bōshoku | [bo̞ːɕo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 健啖 | kentan | |
| 大食い | ōgui | [o̞ːɡɯ̟i] (narrow) |
While several terms exist to describe eating habits, the choice depends on whether you want to emphasize a moral failing, a hearty appetite or simply the volume of food consumed. To describe a person's voracious eating habits in a formal way, you can use the phrase 食欲の強さ (strong appetite). In informal settings, you might use the verb がっつく to describe someone eating with great enthusiasm or the phrase 食い意地 to humorously imply a stubborn or strong determination regarding food.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 暴食 is composed of the characters for 'violence/excessive' and 'eating'.
Which one should you use?
The terms differ significantly in nuance: 暴食 carries a strong negative connotation of a sin or a lack of self-control. In contrast, 大食い is a more neutral term used to describe the act of eating large quantities. 健啖 is a positive or neutral term used to describe someone who has a hearty appetite or eats well, rather than describing the vice of gluttony.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
暴食 is a formal or literary term often used in religious or moral contexts. 大食い is the most common term used in modern contexts, such as when referring to 'competitive eaters' (大食い選手権).
How does it change in a sentence?
The term 大食い can be used as a noun to describe a person who eats a lot.
How do you pronounce it?
bōshoku
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, the ability to be 大食い is often celebrated in variety shows as a 'superpower' rather than being viewed as a moral failing.
- The verb がっつく mimics the sound of aggressive eating and is often used to describe someone who is so hungry they have lost their social manners.
- The term 食い意地 (kuīji) uses the character for 'intention' or 'will' to suggest that a person's hunger is actually a stubborn personality trait.
Examples in context
- 彼はがっつくよね。He really eats a lot, doesn't he?
- あの人、本当に大食漢だよね。That person is a real gourmand, right?
- 暴食は健康に良くない。boushoku wa kenkou ni yokunai.Gluttony is not good for one's health.
- 彼は暴食を戒めるべきだ。kare wa boushoku o imameru beki da.He should abstain from gluttony.
- 暴食は宗教的な罪とされることもある。boushoku wa shuukyouuteki na tsumi to sareru koto mo aru.Gluttony is sometimes considered a religious sin.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are talking about their eating habits.
- 美咲 Misaki最近、夜に暴食しちゃうんだよね。Saikin, yoru ni bōshoku shichau n da yo ne.Lately, I've been overeating at night.
- 蓮 Renそれは体に悪いよ。どうして？Sore wa karada ni warui yo. Dōshite?That's bad for your body. Why is that?
- 美咲 Misaki仕事のストレスが溜まっているみたい。Shigoto no sutoresu ga tamatte iru mitai.I think work stress is building up.
- 蓮 Ren無理せず、ゆっくり休んでね。Muri sezu, yukkuri yasunde ne.Don't push yourself, and get some good rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gluttony” translations and entries 暴食, 健啖, 大食い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
