How to say "adore" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 憧れるあこがれるichidan verb, intransitive verbCovers adoring someone you admire from afar and yearn to be like; the feeling is aspiration rather than affection, as when a fan adores a singer or idol.
- 慕うしたうgodan verb, transitive verbCovers adoring a person with deep, tender affection and devotion; it often carries a note of longing or missing someone, as when one adores a late grandparent or a beloved teacher.
Use 「憧れる」 for adoring someone you look up to and long to be like, and 「慕う」 for adoring a person with tender, devoted affection, often tinged with longing or missing them.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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