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思いを寄せる (おもいをよせる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

思おもいを寄よせる

お

も

い

を

よ

せ

る

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

fall in love; give one's heart to

Expresses romantic affection or love directed toward someone. Often used with に to mark the person.

彼かれは幼おさななじみに思おもいを寄よせている。
He has feelings for his childhood friend.
彼かの女じょは密ひそかに先せん輩ぱいに思おもいを

寄よ

せ

て

い

た

。

She secretly had a crush on her senior.

2

expression, ichidan verb

think of; turn one's mind towards

Used when one's thoughts are directed toward someone or something, often with concern, sympathy, or contemplation. Not necessarily romantic.

彼かれは遠とおくの家か族ぞくに思おもいを寄よせながら手て紙がみを書かいた。
He wrote a letter while thinking of his family far away.
被ひ災さい地ちに思おもいを寄よせて、募ぼ金きんをした。
With thoughts for the disaster area, I made a donation.

Written forms

思おもいを寄よせる
Standard kanji spelling; 思い is the usual way to write おもい in this expression.
想おもいを寄よせる
Alternative spelling using 想い, which can emphasize emotional or romantic nuance, but is less common than 思い.
思おもいをよせる
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; よせる is often written in kana in this expression.
想おもいをよせる
Mixed kanji-kana spelling with 想い; less common but possible.

Kanji

思think
寄draw near, stop in, bring near
想idea, thought, conception

Similar words

恋こいする
恋する is a straightforward verb for 'to love' or 'to fall in love', while 思いを寄せる is a more indirect, literary expression for harboring romantic feelings.
憧あこがれる
憧れる means 'to admire' or 'to long for', often with a sense of idealization, whereas 思いを寄せる focuses on directing one's thoughts or affections toward someone.

Etymology

Composed of 思い (thought, feeling) + を + 寄せる (to bring near, to direct). Literally 'to direct one's thoughts toward', the expression naturally extended to romantic feelings.