Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing jealousy depends on the type: romantic jealousy, envy of someone's possessions or success, or even positive admiration. The most common word is 嫉妬 (しっと), but it is strong and often negative. For lighter envy, 羨ましい (うらやましい) is used, though it can also imply jealousy. Context and phrasing matter greatly.
To express feeling jealous of a romantic partner's interactions with others, or suspecting infidelity.
The standard verb for romantic jealousy. It is a strong emotion and can sound serious or dramatic. Often used with に to mark the person you are jealous of.
彼女は彼の元カノに嫉妬している。
She is jealous of his ex-girlfriend.
A more colloquial and slightly lighter expression for romantic jealousy. Literally 'to bake grilled rice cakes', it implies a cute or petty jealousy rather than deep suspicion.
彼が他の女の子と話すと、すぐ焼きもちを焼いちゃう。
I get jealous right away when he talks to other girls.
Noun form of the above. Often used in phrases like やきもちを焼く (to be jealous) or やきもち焼き (a jealous person).
あの子はやきもち焼きだから気をつけて。
That girl is the jealous type, so be careful.
An adjective meaning 'deeply jealous' or 'prone to jealousy'. Used to describe a person's character.
嫉妬深い恋人とは付き合いたくない。
I don't want to date a jealous lover.
To express that you wish you had what someone else has, or that you feel envious of their circumstances.
The most common word for 'envious' or 'jealous' in a non-romantic sense. It can be used positively ('I'm so jealous, that's great!') or negatively. The target of envy is marked with が.
彼の新しい車が羨ましい。
I'm jealous of his new car.
いいなあ、羨ましい！
That's so nice, I'm jealous!
The verb form of 羨ましい. Slightly more formal or literary. Often used with を to mark the thing envied.
A stronger, more negative word for envy, bordering on resentment. Less common in daily speech.
To express that you are jealous in a friendly, admiring way, often as a compliment.
A very common casual expression meaning 'That's nice!' or 'I'm so jealous!' It conveys light envy without negativity. Often followed by 羨ましい.
え、それもらったの？いいなあ！
Oh, you got that? I'm so jealous!
Literally 'unfair', but often used playfully to mean 'I'm jealous' or 'No fair!' among friends.
一人だけ休み取るなんてずるいよ。
It's not fair that only you get a day off. (I'm jealous!)
To describe someone who is habitually jealous.
Describes a person who is deeply jealous by nature, especially in romantic contexts.
嫉妬深い人は疲れる。
Jealous people are exhausting.
A more colloquial term for a person who gets jealous easily, often in a cute or petty way.
嫉妬 (しっと) is jealousy, often with a negative or possessive nuance, especially in love. 羨望 (せんぼう) is envy or admiration, more neutral and often aspirational. 羨ましい (うらやましい) is the common adjective for envy, while 嫉妬 is a noun/verb for jealousy.
彼の才能に羨望を感じる。
I feel admiration/envy for his talent.
Using 嫉妬する when you just mean 'I'm jealous of your new phone' can sound overly dramatic or creepy. Use 羨ましい or いいなあ instead.
彼の成功を羨んでいる。
I envy his success.
同僚の昇進が妬ましくて仕方ない。
I can't help but feel bitterly jealous of my colleague's promotion.
My boyfriend is the jealous type and it's a problem.