Translation guide
A person who habitually relies on others for money, food, or support without giving back.
Describing someone who habitually takes advantage of others' generosity, often living at their expense.
A person who lives in someone else's home and is supported by them, often without contributing. Can be used humorously or critically.
彼は友達の家に居候している。
He's sponging off his friend, living at his place.
Verb meaning to mooch or sponge off someone, especially for money or food. Often used for persistent begging.
Literally 'parasite'. A strong, derogatory term for someone who lives off others. Often used for adult children living with parents without contributing.
Idiom meaning 'to live off one's parents' (literally 'to gnaw on one's parents' shins'). Used for adults who are financially dependent on their parents.
彼はまだ親のすねをかじっている。
He's still sponging off his parents.
A somewhat old-fashioned or literary term for a person who lives and eats at someone else's house without paying. Similar to 'freeloader'.
居候 focuses on the living situation (staying at someone's place without paying), while たかる emphasizes the act of mooching or begging, often for money or meals. 居候 can be a noun or a verb (居候する), while たかる is a verb.
There is no direct single-word equivalent for 'sponger' in Japanese. Using a literal translation like スポンジャー would not be understood. Choose the term that best fits the context of dependency.
He's always sponging off his seniors.
彼は親に寄生虫のように頼っている。
He's like a parasite, depending on his parents.
He lived as a sponger in that household.