selfish
Definitions
Concerned chiefly with one's own profit or pleasure, at the expense of others
自私的，只顾自己利益、不顾他人的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedself (one's own person) + -ish (having the quality of) = 'having a self-centered quality' — caring only about yourself. Coined in the 1640s by English Puritan writers as a moral criticism, and it has carried that negative judgment ever since.
Root self still carries 15 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.selfish motive自私的动机
- 2.selfish behavior自私的行为
- 3.purely selfish纯粹出于私心
- 4.selfish reasons自私的理由
Example Sentences
- 1.
It was selfish of him to take the last seat without asking.
- 2.
She accused her brother of being selfish and inconsiderate.
- 3.
Wanting some time alone isn't selfish — it's healthy.
Easily Confused
selfish vs self-centered — selfish is about actions: putting your own gain ahead of others (a selfish decision). self-centered is about attention: only ever talking and thinking about yourself, even without harming anyone. A self-centered person is tiring; a selfish person is unfair.
Synonym Comparison
- selfish — only cares about own profit/pleasure; clearly negative
- self-centered — sees everything through the lens of oneself; self-focused
- egotistical — thinks highly of oneself; arrogant
- greedy — wants more of something (money, food, power) than one needs
- inconsiderate — fails to think about others' feelings; milder, not always self-serving