虚栄

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 虚栄(きょえい) refers to vanity: wanting to appear more impressive to others than one really is.
• Basic usage: It describes showy spending beyond one's circumstances or a desire to impress in social circles.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Confidence and a desire to impress
  • 自信 is belief in one's ability, while 虚栄 focuses on raising one's standing in other people's eyes.
• A compound naming the disposition
  • 虚栄心 names the impulse toward vanity. Like 虚栄, it generally carries a critical evaluation.