羨(うらや)ましい

うらやましい
i-adjective
envious, enviable
1. envious, jealous
Feeling desire for what others have.
彼(かれ)がうらやましい。
I'm envious of him.
いいなあ、うらやましい！
How nice, I'm jealous!
海外(かいがい)旅行(りょこう)に行(い)けるなんてうらやましい。
I'm jealous that you get to travel abroad.
2. enviable
Deserving envy.
うらやましい生活(せいかつ)だ。
It's an enviable lifestyle.
うらやましい才能(さいのう)だ。
What an enviable talent.
毎日(まいにち)好(す)きなことだけして暮(く)らせるなんて、うらやましい人生(じんせい)だ。
Being able to spend every day doing only what you love — what an enviable life.

羨(うらや)ましい is an i-adjective expressing envy or admiration for what others have.

FORMS:

  • Adverb: 羨(うらや)ましく
  • Noun form: 羨(うらや)ましさ

GRAMMAR PATTERN:

〜が羨(うらや)ましい: to be envious of ~

  • 彼(かれ)が羨(うらや)ましい: I'm envious of him
  • その生活(せいかつ)が羨(うらや)ましい: I envy that lifestyle

NUANCE:
羨(うらや)ましい expresses wanting what someone else has, but without hostility. It's often used as a mild compliment: いいなあ、羨(うらや)ましい！(Nice! I'm jealous!)

CONTRAST:

  • 羨(うらや)ましい: envy (wanting what others have)
  • 嫉妬(しっと): jealousy (stronger, can imply resentment)
  • 妬(ねた)ましい: envious with resentment

RELATED:

  • 羨(うらや)む: to envy (verb form)
general
Added 2026.1.9 17:23 · Revised 2026.2.23 9:17
02000/02336_urayamashii