How to say "expect" in Japanese

• 見込むみこむCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'expect' in the sense of estimating or anticipating a likely outcome — expecting sales to rise, expecting a profit, counting on someone's ability; typical of business plans and forecasts.
  今年ことしの売り上うりあげは倍増ばいぞうと見込みこんでいます。↗

  Sales should double this year.
• 待ち受けるまちうけるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers 'expect' as awaiting what is coming — waiting for a visitor or, often figuratively, for what fate or the future holds; the emphasis is on something lying ahead, ready to be met.
  どの進路しんろを選えらんでも危険きけんが待ち受まちうけている。↗

  Whichever way we choose will involve danger.
• 当て込むあてこむCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'expect' as counting on something for oneself — a windfall, a bonus, another's favor; the sense is banking on a hoped-for gain, not neutral forecasting.
  彼かれは戦争せんそうが早々そうそうと終おわるとあてこんでいた。↗

  He gambled on the war coming to an early end.
• 望むのぞむJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'expect (of someone)' — expecting much of a person or expecting them to act a certain way; at bottom it is hoping or wishing, so use it where English 'expect' shades into 'hope for'.
  健康けんこうでなければ成功せいこうを望のぞめない。↗

  Without health, we can not hope for success.
• 期すきすCommon
  godan verb, suru verb (archaic), intransitive verbCovers 'expect' as looking forward to or foreseeing a hoped-for outcome, typically a success one is striving for; it reads as a deliberate expectation of a desired result.

Use 「見込む」 for calculated expectations and forecasts, 「待ち受ける」 for awaiting what lies ahead, 「当て込む」 for banking on a hoped-for gain, 「望む」 for expecting things of people, and 「期す」 for looking forward to a desired outcome.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 見込むみこむto anticipate
• 待ち受けるまちうけるto await
• 当て込むあてこむto count on
• 待ち設けるまちもうけるto expect
• 期すごすto expect
• 思い設けるおもいもうけるto anticipate
• あてにするto count on
• 望むのぞむto expect (of someone)
• 期すきすto expect
• 期するきするto expect
• 思うおもうto expect
• 考えるかんがえるto predict
• くくるto estimate