Meaning

Primary

To Wish

Alternatives

To Desire, To Wish For

Word Type

transitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

If you have a hope and you turn it into a verb, you'd think it would be "to hope." But what is really behind a hope? It's a desire or wish, right? That's why this word means to wish or to desire.

Reading

のぞむ
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you: Your one wish that you have is to have a bigger nose (のぞ). Feel your nose, it's too small. You wish it was two or three inches longer. Of course, if it helps to imagine you want a smaller nose or a nose at all, that's fine too. Just make sure you wish you have something nose-related.

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • 平和を望む

    to wish for peace

    何を望む

    What do you want?

    それを望む

    to hope for that, to want that

Context Sentences

何事もないことを望むよ。

I hope for nothing to happen.

あまり多くを望むと、自分がしんどくなるよ。

You'll wear yourself out if you expect too much.

ミドリさんは、どんな生活を望んでいるんですか?

What kind of life do you wish for, Midori-san?

Kanji Composition