a mother's anxious waiting for her child's return
A literary, classical expression evoking the image of a mother leaning against the gate, longing for her child to come home. Rare in modern Japanese; mainly encountered in classical or poetic contexts.
The phrase 'imon no bō' is an expression originating from old Chinese poetry that represents a mother's deep affection.
From the Chinese historical work 《戦国策》: 王孫賈’s mother described leaning against the gate at evening while anxiously awaiting her son’s return. 倚門の望 consequently denotes a parent’s anxious expectation.