嫉妬

• Reading: しっと
• Romaji: shitto
• Kanji breakdown: 嫉 (shitsu) — to envy; 妬 (to) — to be jealous
• Pronunciation: /ɕit.to/

Meaning

Jealousy; envy. A painful feeling triggered by another's advantages or romantic rivals.

A noun (also used as a suru verb) covering both envy (wanting what others have) and jealousy (fear of losing what you have to a rival). Stronger and more literary than やきもち (casual jealousy). Common expressions include 嫉妬する (to be jealous), 嫉妬深い (prone to jealousy), and 嫉妬心 (feeling of jealousy).

Examples

1. 友人の成功を素直に喜べず、嫉妬してしまった。 I couldn't bring myself to genuinely celebrate my friend's success — I felt jealous.
2. 嫉妬深い人は恋愛関係で苦労しやすい。 People who are prone to jealousy tend to have a hard time in romantic relationships.
3. 嫉妬は誰にでもある自然な感情だ。 Jealousy is a natural emotion that everyone experiences.

Usage Guide

Context: relationships, psychology, personal feelings

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 嫉 (shitsu, to envy) + 妬 (to, to be jealous). Both characters contain the 女 (woman) radical, reflecting historical associations of jealousy with women in Chinese literary tradition.

Cultural Context

Era: Historical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal