むさぼる

• Reading: むさぼる
• Romaji: musaboru
• Kanji breakdown: 貪 (ton/musabo) — greed, covetousness (kanji rarely used in practice)
• Pronunciation: /mɯ.sa.bo.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To devour; to covet; to consume greedily. Describes giving in to excessive appetite or desire with little restraint.

A Group 1 (godan) verb. Written in kanji as 貪る but almost always appears in hiragana. Applies to greedy consumption of food, knowledge, money, or pleasures. Carries a strong negative connotation of excess and lack of self-control. Frequent in literary and critical contexts.

Examples

1. 彼は食べ物をむさぼるように口に運んだ。 He shoveled food into his mouth ravenously.
2. 読書の楽しさを知った子どもが本をむさぼり読んでいる。 A child who discovered the joy of reading is devouring books.
3. 権力をむさぼる政治家は民衆の信頼を失う。 Politicians who greedily cling to power lose the trust of the people.

Usage Guide

Context: food, desires, criticism, literature

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. Related to むさぼり (greed). The kanji 貪 (ton/musabo) means greed or covetousness, depicting the accumulation of things beyond what is needed.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal