A warm, gentle, and compassionate love, often implying a nurturing or merciful quality. Commonly used in literary, religious, or emotional contexts.
I grew up wrapped in my mother's tender affection.
Deep tenderness showed in his eyes.
Kana spelling is sometimes used in literary or emotional contexts.
Derived from the verb 慈しむ (いつくしむ, 'to love tenderly'). The noun form 慈しみ nominalizes the verb stem, expressing the state or feeling of such love.