How to say "hope" in Japanese

• 願うねがうJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb 'to hope' or 'to wish': use it when hope is an act — desiring or wishing for something, often earnestly and sometimes with the flavor of a prayer.
  私達わたしたちは平和へいわを願ねがう。↗

  We long for peace.
• 期待きたいJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbExpectation or anticipation: hope directed at something you look forward to or count on. Choose it when the feeling is closer to 'I expect' or 'I look forward to' than to a wish.
  とにかく万事ばんじうまくいくように期待きたいしよう。↗

  Let's hope for the best anyway.
• 希望きぼうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbThe core noun for hope as a feeling or a prospect, and for aspiration: hopes for the future. For abstract 'hope' this is usually the word you want.
  これが彼かれのたった一ひとつの希望きぼうであった。↗

  This was his one and only hope.
• 願いねがいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA wish or desire — the noun counterpart of 願う. As 'hope' it is a personal, heartfelt wish one holds or makes, not hope as a general feeling or a likelihood.
  私の願ねがいはパリで絵えの勉強べんきょうをすることです。↗

  My wish is to study painting in Paris.
• 見込みみこみJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounHope in the sense of prospects or chances — the likelihood that something will happen. It matches 'hope' only in this predictive sense, not hope as an emotion or a wish.
  そんな計画けいかくはほとんど成功せいこうする見込みこみはありません。↗

  Such a plan can hardly succeed.

Use 希望 for hope as a feeling or aspiration, 「願い」 for a wish one holds, 「願う」 for the act of hoping or wishing, 期待 for hopeful expectation, and 「見込み」 for hope as a prospect or chance.

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

• 願うねがうto desire
• 期待きたいexpectation
• 希望きぼうhope
• 願いねがいdesire
• 見込みみこみhope
• ホープhope
• 望みのぞみwish
• 念じるねんじるto wish (for)
• エスポワールhope
• 念ずるねんずるto wish (for)
• 願意がんいwish
• 庶幾しょきdesire
• アスピレーションaspiration
• 光ひかりhappiness
• 夢ゆめdream
• 思いおもいdesire
• 祈るいのるto wish
• 光明こうみょうhope
• 頼みたのみreliance
• 考えかんがえwish
• 脈みゃくhope