恩知(おんし)らず

おんしらず
na-adjective, noun
ungrateful; ingrate
emotion
1. ungrateful; ingrate; thankless person
A person who does not appreciate or acknowledge kindness received. Also used as an adjective to describe such behavior.
恩知(おんし)らずな人(ひと)だ。
What an ungrateful person.
After receiving so much help, there's a limit to how ungrateful you can be.
I didn't want to be called ungrateful, so I wrote a thank-you letter.

Forms

恩(おん) (kindness, favor, debt of gratitude) + 知(し)らず (not knowing). Literally "not knowing kindness."

Usage

A strong word of criticism. Used as a na-adjective (恩知(おんし)らずな) or as a noun to refer to an ungrateful person. Carries significant moral weight in Japanese culture, where gratitude (恩(おん)) and repaying kindness (恩返(おんがえ)し) are deeply valued.

Common collocations

Related words