自慢
jiman[d͡ʑimã̠ɴ]
The Japanese word for pride is 自慢 (jiman). Wiktionary also lists 傲慢 (gōman).
Meaning: quality or state of being proud, inordinate self-esteem, an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank etc. (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 自慢 | jiman | [d͡ʑimã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 傲慢 | gōman | [ɡo̞ːmã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
The term 自慢 reflects the idea of boasting or showing off.
Which one should you use?
While 自慢 focuses on the act of boasting or showing off, 傲慢 refers to an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank etc. For more formal contexts, 自尊心 represents one's self-esteem and dignity, while 誇り represents a deep sense of pride, honor and dignity.
How do you pronounce it?
jiman
Did you know?
- Japanese culture values 謙遜 or 'modesty' as the essential counterweight to 自慢. Even when someone is genuinely proud, they may instinctively downplay their achievement to maintain social harmony.
- The phrase 自慢の can be used to describe a child or a partner. In this context, it translates to 'my pride and joy' and is seen as an expression of love rather than vanity.
- A person who is too full of themselves might be described as having 慢心, which literally means a 'heart' or 'mind' that has become 'slothful' or 'conceited'.
Examples in context
- 彼女は自分の容貌を自慢している。She takes pride in her looks.This sentence shows how someone might use 自慢 regarding their physical appearance.Tatoeba #88956 by tommy__san, translation #314751 by CM
- 彼女は自分の切手の収集を大変自慢にしている。She takes great pride in her stamp collection.This sentence demonstrates using 自慢 to express great pride in a hobby.Tatoeba #89006 by xtofu80, translation #314701 by CK
- 我々が自国の古い寺院を自慢に思うのは当然のことだ。We may well take pride in our old temples.This sentence illustrates how a group might take pride in their cultural heritage using 自慢.Tatoeba #186376 by mookeee, translation #23511 by AlanF_US
- 私は自尊心を持ち、自分の信じることを貫きます。I have pride and will stick to what I believe in.
- 私は日本の伝統に誇りを感じます。I feel pride in Japanese traditions.
- さっきのゲームで勝ったよ！ちょっと自慢しちゃおうかな。I won the game earlier! Should I brag a little?
- 彼女は自分のプライドを守りたいので、謝らないでしょう。She wants to protect her pride, so she won't apologize.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about a friend's new car.
- 健太 Kenta彼は新しい車を自慢しているよ。Kare wa atarashii kuruma o jiman shite iru yo.He is boasting about his new car.
- 陽葵 Himariまた始まったね。Mata hajimatta ne.There he goes again.
- 健太 Kentaあの自慢は本当に疲れるなあ。Ano jiman wa hontō ni tsukareru nā.That pride of his is really tiring.
- 陽葵 Himari本当にそう思うよ。Hontō ni sō omou yo.I really think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pride” translations and entries 自慢, 傲慢, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
