憧あこがれ

あ

こ

が

れ

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

A deep emotional desire or admiration for something or someone, often with a sense of idealization or unattainability. Commonly used for dreams, goals, or people one looks up to.

彼かの女じょは都と会かいの生せい活かつに憧あこがれを抱いだいている。
She has a longing for city life.
子こ供どもの頃ころ、パイロットに憧あこがれていた。
When I was a child, I admired pilots and wanted to become one.

See all 30 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉への憧あこがれadmiration/longing directed at someone
彼かの女じょはその歌か手しゅへの憧あこがれを胸むねに、歌か手しゅになる決けつ意いをした。
Carrying her admiration for the singer in her heart, she decided to become a singer herself.
憧あこがれを抱いだくto harbor a longing or admiration
多おおくの若わか者ものが海かい外がい生せい活かつへの憧あこがれを抱いだいている。
Many young people harbor a longing for life abroad.
憧あこがれが強つよいto have a strong admiration/longing
彼かれのパイロットへの憧あこがれは子こ供どもの頃ころから強つよかった。
His longing to become a pilot has been strong since childhood.
〈事こと〉への憧あこがれa longing for a lifestyle, experience, or state of things
田舎いなか暮ぐらしへの憧あこがれから、彼かれは都と会かいを離はなれた。
Out of a longing for country life, he left the city.

Expressions

憧あこがれの的まとobject of adoration; object of longing

Kanji

憧yearn after, long for, aspire to
憬yearn for, aspire to, admire

Related words· 8

憧どう憬けい
憧憬 is a more literary, formal word for the same longing or admiration expressed by 憧れ.
願がん望ぼうN1
願望 is a stronger, more concrete 'desire' or 'wish', while 憧れ carries a softer, more idealized sense of admiration.
理り想そうN3
理想 refers to an 'ideal' or model one aspires to, whereas 憧れ is the emotional pull one feels toward that ideal.
希き望ぼうN3
希望 is a more concrete, achievable 'hope', while 憧れ implies a stronger, sometimes romanticized admiration.

Show 4 more

憧あこがれの的まと
憧れ is the abstract feeling of longing or admiration itself, while 憧れの的 refers to the actual person or thing that is the target of that feeling.
渇かつ望ぼう
憧れ is a wistful yearning or admiration for something idealized or distant, whereas 渇望 is a more intense, desperate craving.
尊そん敬けいN3
憧れ is admiration mixed with a longing to be like someone, whereas 尊敬 is a calmer, more sober kind of respect without that longing.
思し慕ぼ
憧れ is a common, everyday word for admiration or aspiration toward something, while 思慕 is a literary word usually directed at a specific person and tinged with longing.

Opposites

軽けい蔑べつN1
憧れ is admiration or longing for someone, while 軽蔑 is contempt or looking down on someone.

Word family

憧あこがれるN3
long for; yearn for; admire; aspire to

Written forms

憧あこがれUsage72%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
あこがれUsage28%
憬あこがれ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should recognize it but use 憧れ.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 憧れる (akogareru), which originally meant 'to be attracted' or 'to yearn'. The noun form 憧れ has been used since the Heian period. The kanji 憧 is composed of 心 (heart) and 童 (child), suggesting a pure, heartfelt longing.