わがままな
wagamama na
The Japanese word for selfish is わがままな (wagamama na). Wiktionary also lists 我が儘な (wagamama na) and 利己的な (rikoteki na).
Meaning: having regard for one's own well-being above that of others (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| わがままな | wagamama na |
| 我が儘な | wagamama na |
| 利己的な | rikoteki na |
The term is used to describe someone who prioritizes their own well-being or desires above those of others.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the two main forms. わがままな is colloquial and describes someone being difficult, acting like a spoiled child or failing to follow social rules. In contrast, 利己的な is a more formal, clinical or academic term used to describe a person's character or motives as being driven by self-interest, such as in psychological or philosophical discussions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective can be turned into an adverb by changing the ending to に, resulting in わがままに, which means acting selfishly or willfully.
How do you pronounce it?
wagamama na
Did you know?
- The word わがまま can sometimes be used to describe a 'difficult' or 'unreasonable' situation or weather, not just a person's character.
- While 'selfish' is often a criticism in English, calling a child わがまま is a common, almost affectionate way to describe a toddler being 'willful' or 'spoiled'.
- The colloquial term わがまま can be written with the kanji 我が儘, which literally translates to 'my own wish' or 'my own way'.
Examples in context
- 彼女は利己的な人だ。She is a selfish person.This sentence describes a person as a selfish person using 利己的な.Tatoeba #86318 by bunbuku, translation #317393 by CK
- 彼はとても利己的な男だ。He's a very selfish person.This sentence describes a man as being very selfish using 利己的な.Tatoeba #111510 by bunbuku, translation #292173 by CK
- 彼女は何か利己的な動機で行動している。She is acting from some selfish motive.This sentence describes an action performed with a selfish motive using 利己的な.Tatoeba #90933 by bunbuku, translation #312781 by molnarorso
- 彼は利己的な考え方を持っている。He has a selfish way of thinking.
- あの子は我儘な態度を取っている。That child is behaving selfishly.
- 私のことだけを考えているなんて、自己中心的よね。Thinking only about yourself, how self-centered.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are discussing a coworker's behavior.
- 美咲 Misaki彼はいつもわがままな振る舞いをする。Kare wa itsumo wagamama na furumai o suru.He always behaves in a selfish manner.
- 蓮 Ren本当に、わがままな人だね。Hontō ni, wagamama na hito da ne.He really is a selfish person, isn't he?
- 美咲 Misaki周りのことを全然考えないの。Mawari no koto o zenzen kangaenai no.He doesn't consider those around him at all.
- 蓮 Ren困ったものだね。Komatta mono da ne.He's quite a handful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “selfish” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
