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Kotomora

慕

pining, yearn for, love dearly, adore

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 5,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • ボ

Kun'yomi

  • した.う

Meaning

慕 centers on a deep emotional longing or attachment: pining for someone, yearning for something, or loving and adoring dearly.

Most common words using 慕

  • 慕うしたう
    N1

    to yearn for; to long for; to pine for; to miss; to love dearly; to adore

  • 思慕しぼ

    yearning; longing for; deep affection

  • 慕情ぼじょう

    longing; yearning

  • 恋慕れんぼ

    love; attachment; tender emotions; falling in love

  • 傾慕けいぼ

    yearning; wholehearted longing; deep adoration

  • 呼び慕うよびしたう

    to call fondly

  • 哀慕あいぼ

    cherish the memory of; yearn for

  • 後を慕ってあとをしたって

    following (a person to a place)

  • 恋い慕うこいしたう

    to miss; to yearn for

  • 愛慕あいぼ

    love; attachment; adoration

  • 慕い寄るしたいよる

    to approach in adoration

  • 慕わしいしたわしい

    dear; beloved; cherished; adored

  • 故郷を慕うこきょうをしたう

    to pine for home

  • 敬慕けいぼ

    love and respect

  • 横恋慕よこれんぼ

    illicit love

  • 欽慕きんぼ

    adoration; reverence; admiration

  • 追慕ついぼ

    cherishing the memory of; yearning for

Explore all words using 慕 →

Study

Etymology

慕 combines 莫 (phonetic component with a sense of 'distant' or 'obscure') with the heart radical ⺗, suggesting a heart reaching toward something distant or hidden—hence yearning or adoring.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 莫 looks like a setting sun over grass, and the bottom ⺗ is a heart. Imagine your heart aching as you watch the sunset, pining for someone far away.

Reading mnemonic

For ボ, picture a beau (boyfriend/girlfriend) you yearn for: beau -> ボ, and your heart ⺗ longs for them.