求もとめる

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と

め

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Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

求める · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	求もとめる	求もとめない
Polite	求もとめます	求もとめません
Past polite	求もとめました	求もとめませんでした
Past	求もとめた	求もとめなかった
Te-form	求もとめて	求もとめないで
Desire	求もとめたい	求もとめたくない
Potential	求もとめられるalso 求もとめれる	求もとめられないalso 求もとめれない
Passive	求もとめられる	求もとめられない
Causative	求もとめさせる	求もとめさせない
Causative passive	求もとめさせられる	求もとめさせられない
Volitional	求もとめよう
Polite volitional	求もとめましょう
Imperative	求もとめろ	求もとめるな
Conditional	求もとめれば	求もとめなければ
Tara conditional	求もとめたら	求もとめなかったら

Pairs with求まる

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

want; wish for; desire

Expresses a personal desire or wish for something, often abstract or emotional.

彼かれは心こころの平へい安あんを求もとめている。
He seeks peace of mind.
人ひと々びとはより良よい生せい活かつを求もとめて街まちに集あつまった。
People gathered in the city seeking a better life.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

request; demand; ask for

Used when asking someone to do something or provide something, often with a sense of requirement or expectation.

会かい社しゃは従じゅう業ぎょう員いんに残ざん業ぎょうを求もとめた。
The company demanded overtime from its employees.
彼かの女じょは上じょう司しに説せつ明めいを求もとめた。
She asked her boss for an explanation.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

seek; search for; look for; pursue

Actively looking for something concrete or abstract, such as a job, pleasure, or a solution.

彼かれは新あたらしい仕し事ごとを求もとめている。
He is looking for a new job.
問もん題だいの解かい決けつ策さくを求もとめて話はなし合あった。
They discussed seeking a solution to the problem.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

purchase; buy

polite (teineigo)

Polite or formal alternative to 買う, often used in business or service contexts.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に助たすけを求もとめるto call for/ask someone for help
彼かれは大おお声ごえで助たすけを求もとめた。
He cried out for help.
〈人ひと〉に〈事こと〉を求もとめるto demand/request something from someone
会かい社しゃは社しゃ員いんに高たかい成せい果かを求もとめる。
The company demands high results from its employees.
〈物もの〉を求もとめて〈場ば所しょ〉へ行いくto go somewhere in search of something
新あたらしい仕し事ごとを求もとめて東とう京きょうへ行いった。
He went to Tokyo in search of a new job.
〈物もの〉をお求もとめになるto purchase (polite/honorific)
このワインはどちらでお求もとめになりましたか。
Where did you purchase this wine?

Expressions· 9

比ひを求もとめるobtain the ratio; find the ratio
活かつを求もとめるtry to find a way out; seek a solution
祈いのり求もとめるpray for; earnestly desire
同どう気き相あい求もとめるlike minds gather; birds of a feather flock together
幸こう福ふくを求もとめるseek happiness; pursue happiness

Show 3 more

求もとめに応おうじるanswer a request; comply with a request
理り解かいを求もとめるask for understanding; seek understanding
死し中ちゅうに活かつを求もとめるfind a way out of a desperate situation; snatch life from the jaws of death

See all 9 in Explore →

Kanji

求request, want, wish for

Transitive / intransitive

求もとまる sense 3
求める is the transitive verb meaning to seek or solve for something, while 求まる is its intransitive partner meaning that something (like an unknown value) comes to be found.

Related words· 8

買かうN5sense 4
買う is the everyday word for 'buy', while 求める is a more formal or polite alternative often heard in shops and business contexts.
探さがすN5sense 3
探す is used for physically searching for a specific lost object or person, while 求める is more abstract and goal-oriented, as in seeking a job or solution.
欲ほしいN5sense 1
欲しい is an adjective simply expressing personal desire, whereas 求める is a verb that implies actively pursuing or asking for what one wants.
望のぞむN3sense 1
望む expresses a hope or wish, often for the future, while 求める carries a stronger sense of actively demanding or pursuing something.

Show 4 more

要よう求きゅうN3sense 2
要求する is a stronger, more formal word for demanding something as a right or necessity, while 求める can be softer and cover simple requests too.
頼たのむN5sense 2
頼む is the common, casual verb for asking a specific person to do something, while 求める is more formal and often directed at an unspecified party or institution.
追つい求きゅうN1
求める is a plain, everyday verb meaning to want or seek something, whereas 追求 is a more formal noun implying sustained, active pursuit of an abstract goal.
欲ほっするN1
求める focuses on actively seeking or requesting something, while 欲する emphasizes the inner feeling of wanting it.

Opposites

売うるN5sense 4
売る means to sell, the direct opposite of 求める in its sense of purchasing something.

Don't confuse with

認みとめるN3
認める (みとめる) and 求める (もとめる) sound similar and both end in ~める, but 認める means 'to recognize or approve', not 'to seek or request'.

Word family· 8

追おい求もとめる
pursue; seek after; chase
探さがし求もとめる
search for; seek; look for
買かい求もとめる
purchase; buy
求もとめ
request; demand; claim · purchase; buying
お求もとめやすい
affordable; reasonably priced

Show 3 more

尋たずね求もとめる
seek for; search for; look for
請こい求もとめる
beg; entreat; implore; request earnestly
願ねがい求もとめる
entreat; beseech; implore

Written forms

求もとめるUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
もとめるUsage3%

Etymology

Derived from classical verb 求む (motomu). The kanji 求 carries the core meaning of 'seek' or 'request'.