厚顔(こうがん)

こうがん
na-adjective
brazen, shameless, impudent
formaldescriptivepersonality
1. brazen, shameless, impudent, barefaced
Having no sense of shame; bold and unapologetic in inappropriate behavior. A literary term for shamelessness, often used in the compound 厚顔(こうがん)無恥(むち).
厚顔(こうがん)無恥(むち)な態度(たいど)
a brazen and shameless attitude
彼(かれ)は厚顔(こうがん)にも嘘(うそ)をつき通(とお)した。
He brazenly kept lying.
あれだけの不祥事(ふしょうじ)を起(お)こしておいて、厚顔(こうがん)にも再出馬(さいしゅつば)するとは。
After causing such a scandal, he has the audacity to run for office again.

Adjective type: Na-adjective (also functions as noun). Uses な before nouns: 厚顔(こうがん)な人(ひと).

Adverbial form: 厚顔(こうがん)にも (brazenly, shamelessly)

Four-character compound: 厚顔(こうがん)無恥(むち) (brazen and shameless) is a common set phrase combining two synonyms for emphasis.

Nuance: 厚顔(こうがん) is more literary and formal than 厚(あつ)かましい or 図々(ずうずう)しい. It's often used in formal writing, news reports, or when criticizing public figures.

Common collocations

  • 厚顔(こうがん)無恥(むち) (brazen and shameless)
  • 厚顔(こうがん)にも (brazenly, shamelessly)
  • 厚顔(こうがん)な態度(たいど) (brazen attitude)

Related words

Related Words

Synonym: 厚(あつ)かましい (more colloquial)
Synonym: 図々(ずうずう)しい (impudent)
Related: 恥知(はじし)らず (shameless person)
Related: 鉄面皮(てつめんぴ) (brazen-faced)
general
Added 2026.1.31 20:32 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
09000/09162_kougan