興きょう味み

きょ

う

み

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

noun

interest; curiosity; zest

General noun for interest, curiosity, or enthusiasm about something. Often used with ある, 持つ, 湧く, 深い, etc.

彼かれは日本にほんの歴れき史しに興きょう味みがある。
He is interested in Japanese history.
その話はなしを聞きいて、急きゅうに興きょう味みが湧わいた。
Hearing that story, I suddenly became interested.

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Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に興きょう味みがあるto be interested in ~
私わたしは歴れき史しに興きょう味みがある。
I'm interested in history.
〈事こと〉に興きょう味みを示しめすto show interest in ~
子こ供どもは新あたらしいおもちゃに興きょう味みを示しめした。
The child showed interest in the new toy.
興きょう味みが湧わくfor interest to arise; to become interested
その映えい画がを見みて、日に本ほん文ぶん化かに興きょう味みが湧わいた。
After watching that movie, I became interested in Japanese culture.
興きょう味みを失うしなうto lose interest
彼かれはすぐに興きょう味みを失うしなってしまった。
He quickly lost interest.
〈事こと〉への興きょう味みinterest in ~ (as a noun phrase)
科か学がくへの興きょう味みは年ねん々ねん深ふかまっている。
My interest in science deepens every year.

Expressions

興きょう味みないuninterested; not interested; having no interest
興きょう味み半はん分ぶんhalf out of interest; mostly out of curiosity
興きょう味みが薄うすいuninteresting; of little interest
興きょう味みを引ひくattract interest; arouse curiosity; catch one's attention
興きょう味みを持もつhave an interest (in); be interested (in)
興きょう味みをそそるarouse interest; whet the appetite; be intriguing

Kanji

興entertain, revive, retrieve
味flavor, taste

Related words· 6

関かん心しんN3
関心 emphasizes concern or attention toward a matter, while 興味 emphasizes personal curiosity or enjoyment.
好こう奇き心しんN3
好奇心 refers to an innate, exploratory curiosity about the unknown, whereas 興味 is a broader term for interest in any specific thing.
好こう奇き
好奇 is a formal, literary word for curiosity often used in compounds like 好奇心, while 興味 is the everyday word for interest in something.
興きょう
興味 is the common everyday word for 'interest', while 興 is a more literary term mainly found bound inside compounds like 余興 or 即興.

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気きがあるN1
興味 is the general noun for 'interest' in anything, while 気がある specifically implies a personal inclination or romantic interest toward someone.
乗のり気きN1
興味 means interest in something in a broad, intellectual sense, whereas 乗り気 implies a readiness to actually go along with a specific proposal.

Opposites

無む関かん心しんN3
無関心 means indifference or lack of concern, the opposite of feeling 興味 toward something.

Don't confuse with

趣しゅ味みN5
興味 means 'interest' in something (a feeling of curiosity), while 趣味 means an actual hobby or activity one pursues, or one's taste.

Word family

興きょう味み深ぶかいN2
very interesting; of great interest; fascinating
興きょう味み津しん々しん
very interesting; absorbing; keenly interested; immensely curious
興きょう味み本ほん位い
out of curiosity; for curiosity's sake; sensational
興きょう味み索さく然ぜん
uninteresting; dampening the mood; spoiling the fun
興きょう味みの薄うすい
uninteresting; of little interest

Etymology

Sino-Japanese compound: 興 (interest, entertainment) + 味 (taste, flavor). The combination conveys a sense of finding something 'tasty' or appealing to the mind.