Translation guide
Describes someone who eats too much greedily. In Japanese, this is expressed through adjectives, verbs, and descriptive phrases, with nuances ranging from neutral overeating to voracious greed.
To describe a person who habitually eats too much or is greedy about food.
To emphasize the manner of eating greedily, often with a sense of wildness or lack of restraint.
To describe gluttony in a more formal, clinical, or literary context.
食いしん坊 emphasizes the love of eating and greediness, often used for someone who always wants to eat. 大食い focuses on the quantity consumed, and is neutral about the attitude. A 大食い person may not be 食いしん坊 if they just have a large appetite without greed.
彼は食いしん坊だから、いつも何か食べている。
He's a glutton, so he's always eating something.
彼女は大食いだけど、食いしん坊ではない。
She's a big eater, but not a glutton.
The English word 'gluttonous' can sound formal or judgmental. In casual Japanese, 食いしん坊 or がつがつ食べる are more natural. Using 貪欲な人 for a person might sound overly dramatic or literary.
A common, slightly informal word for someone who loves to eat and eats a lot. Often used affectionately or self-deprecatingly.
彼は本当に食いしん坊だ。
He's a real glutton.
Refers to eating large quantities. Can be used as a noun or adjective (e.g., 大食いの人). Often used in competitive eating contexts.
彼女は大食いで有名だ。
She's famous for being a big eater.
Means greedy or avaricious, but can apply to food. More formal and often implies an insatiable desire.
彼の食欲は貪欲だ。
His appetite is gluttonous.
An onomatopoeic adverb describing eating greedily or wolfing down food. Often used with 食べる.
彼はがつがつ食べた。
He ate gluttonously.
A verb meaning to devour or eat greedily. Implies a strong, almost animalistic desire.
ライオンが獲物をむさぼり食った。
The lion devoured its prey gluttonously.
A verb meaning to covet or greedily seek, often used for food, sleep, or pleasure. Can be used as 貪り食う.
彼は貪るように食べた。
He ate as if devouring.
A more casual, rough-sounding version of がつがつ食べる, using the verb 食う (eat, informal).
腹が減ってがつがつ食った。
I was starving and ate gluttonously.
A noun meaning overeating or gluttony. Often used in formal contexts or as a sin (e.g., 七つの大罪).
暴食は健康に悪い。
Gluttony is bad for your health.
A medical/formal term for overeating or excessive food intake. Often used in contexts like 過食症 (binge eating disorder).
過食は肥満の原因となる。
Overeating leads to obesity.