faintly; dimly; slightly; barely
Prefix attached to adjectives and verbs to indicate a faint, slight, or barely perceptible degree. Common in literary or poetic contexts. Used in fixed expressions like ほの白い (faintly white) and ほの見える (dimly visible).
The eastern sky has become faintly light.
A light is dimly visible beyond the fog.
dimly; faintly; with a faint light · warmly; friendly; heartwarming
hint; intimation; suggestion; inkling
hint at; suggest; imply; allude to
be seen dimly; glimmer
Kana spelling is standard; the kanji 仄 is rare and mainly literary.
Rare kanji form; almost always written in kana in modern Japanese.
The prefix ほの is of native Japanese origin, likely related to the adjective ほのか (faint, dim). The exact derivation is uncertain.