慕
pining, yearn for, love dearly, adore
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
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.