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Kanji Detail for 貪 - "to covet, greed"

貪

  • Meaning

    貪 means "to covet, greed." Also associated with to probe.

    1. To covet - To be greedy; to desire excessively.

    2. Greed - Excessive desire for wealth or possessions.

    3. To probe - To search; to explore.

  • Words using 貪

    • 貪る むさぼる Listen to covet; to crave; to be greedy for

  • Four-character idioms with 貪

    • 貪官汚吏 たんかんおり Listen corrupt government official

  • Tattoo check: 貪

    • Verified meaning: to covet, greed
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Also carries these associations: to probe
    • Traditionally considered inauspicious in names — Japanese readers may find it an unlucky choice. Check the meanings above carefully before using it on skin.

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Compare with other kanji that mean the same thing:

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    covet; indulge in

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    greedy, covet; covetous

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    to have a voracious desire for; to covet; greedy; corrupt

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    greedy, covetous; corrupt

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Receiving wealth is called 貪. Such as saying 貪贓枉法 (taking bribes and perverting justice). | All insatiable seeking is called 貪. Han Yu's "Advancement of Learning" says "Greedy for more and striving to acquire. Not discarding whether large or small." Referring to being insatiable in learning.

  • Onyomi

    tip

    don(ドン) ドン

    tan(タン) タン

    ton(トン) トン

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    musaboru(むさぼ-る) むさぼ-る

  • Strokes

    tip

    11 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    貝 (kai・kaihen・kogai)

  • Related Keywords

    to covet greed to probe covetousness searching avarice acquisitiveness craving cupidity desire excessive gluttony grasping hoarding insatiability rapaciousness selfishness voracity

Sentences including 貪

  • He is acquisitive of knowledge.

  • Man is insatiably curious.

  • She was only seeking after pleasure.

  • His honor was corroded by greed.

  • Young men are apt to fall a victim to their own avarice.

  • Even though I'm getting older, I really want to get better at using new technology.

  • My friends are my estate. Forgive me then the avarice to hoard them.

  • No amount of wealth can satisfy a covetous man. All the treasure in the world won't make him happy.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 貝 (kai・kaihen・kogai)

See all kanji with this radical →

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