高慢(こうまん)

こうまん
noun, na-adjective
arrogant; haughty; conceited
personality
1. arrogant; haughty; conceited
Having an excessively high opinion of oneself and looking down on others. Describes both the attitude and the person who displays it.
彼(かれ)は高慢(こうまん)な人(ひと)だ。
He is an arrogant person.
高慢(こうまん)な態度(たいど)を取(と)ると、嫌(きら)われる。
If you act arrogantly, people will dislike you.
成功(せいこう)してから彼女(かのじょ)は高慢(こうまん)になり、昔(むかし)の友人(ゆうじん)を見下(みくだ)すようになった。
After her success, she became arrogant and started looking down on her old friends.

Describes a deeply negative trait of excessive pride and contempt for others. Written with the kanji for 'high' (高(たか)) and 'arrogance' (慢(まん)), emphasizing both elevated self-regard and dismissive attitude toward others.

Common collocations

  • 高慢(こうまん)な態度(たいど) — arrogant attitude
  • 高慢(こうまん)な人(ひと) — arrogant person
  • 高慢(こうまん)ちき — conceited, stuck-up (colloquial, slightly old-fashioned)

Similar words

  • 傲慢(ごうまん) — arrogant, overbearing; very close synonym, slightly stronger and more literary
  • 偉(えら)そう — acting important; more colloquial and less severe
  • 横柄(おうへい) — domineering, overbearing; focuses on rude behavior toward others
  • 尊大(そんだい) — haughty, self-important; more formal/literary

Usage

The compound 高慢(こうまん)ちき (also written 高慢(こうまん)ちきな) is a colloquial intensified form meaning 'stuck-up' or 'full of oneself.'

Related Words

Compare: 傲慢(ごうまん) (arrogant, overbearing)
Compare: 偉そう (acting important)
Compare: 横柄(おうへい) (domineering, overbearing)
Compare: 尊大(そんだい) (haughty, self-important)
general
Added 2026.3.26 13:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19500/19519_kouman