Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
愛しがる (いとしがる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
treat with love ; cherish ; dote on
Expresses showing affection or treating someone/something with tender care. Often implies a visible or demonstrative loving behavior. The 'pity' nuance is rare and context-dependent; usually it's about affectionate cherishing.
いと
し
がっ
て
、
いつも
お
菓か
子し
を
あげる
。
Grandmother cherishes her grandchild and always gives them sweets.
Kanji 愛 love, affection, favourite Similar words 愛あい する 愛する is a more general and formal verb for 'to love', while 愛しがる emphasizes the outward expression of affection or cherishing behavior.
可愛かわい がる 可愛がる means 'to treat with affection' or 'to be fond of', often used for pets or children. 愛しがる has a deeper emotional nuance of cherishing and is less common in everyday speech.
Etymology Derived from the adjective 愛しい (いとしい, 'dear, beloved') + the suffix がる, which expresses showing signs of or behaving as if feeling a certain emotion. The combination yields 'to act lovingly toward' or 'to treat with affection'.