回想|かいそうkaisou[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbrecollection; retrospection; reflection; reminiscence
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 回想する（かいそうする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 回想します（かいそうします） |
| Negative (nai) | 回想しない（かいそうしない） |
| polite (masen) | 回想しません（かいそうしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 回想せず・回想せぬ（かいそうせず・かいそうせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 回想した（かいそうした） |
| polite (mashita) | 回想しました（かいそうしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 回想しなかった（かいそうしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 回想しませんでした（かいそうしませんでした） |
| Te form | 回想して（かいそうして） |
| Potential | 回想できる（かいそうできる） |
| Passive | 回想される（かいそうされる） |
| Causative | 回想させる（かいそうさせる） |
| Causative passive | 回想させられる（かいそうさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 回想すれば（かいそうすれば） |
| tara | 回想したら（かいそうしたら） |
| Volitional | 回想しよう（かいそうしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 回想しましょう（かいそうしましょう） |
| Imperative | 回想しろ（かいそうしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym回顧かいこWrittenWritten and formal: reviewing a stretch of history or a whole life, as in 「回顧録」. 「回想」 centers on personal scenes from the past surfacing in the mind.
- Synonym追憶ついおくWrittenWritten; recollecting the past with fondness, often for a deceased person or happy memories — more lyrical than 「回想」.
- Synonym想起そうきWrittenWritten: remembering something from before, with the focus on the memory being triggered. 「回想」 is deliberately calling up an experience.
- Synonym追想ついそうWrittenWritten, close to 「追憶」: looking back on days gone by with longing; more nostalgic than 「回想」.
- Synonym顧みるかえりみるWrittenWritten verb: to look back and reflect, or to consider and care for (often negated). 「回想」 carries no sense of self-examination.
- Synonym思い出すおもいだすNeutralNeutral verb, the most common everyday word: something coming to mind, including things you had forgotten. 「回想」 is more written, for an experience recalled.
- SynonymしのぶWrittenWritten and solemn: cherishing the memory of the departed or days past with deep feeling, as in 「故人を偲ぶ」. 「回想」 need not be emotional.
- Synonym追懐ついかいWrittenWritten, archaic and rarely used: recalling and cherishing people or things of the past. 「回想」 does not necessarily carry nostalgia.
- Related思い起こすおもいおこすNeutralNeutral verb: deliberately calling a memory to mind; can also mean pulling yourself together. 「回想」 is a noun and suru verb.
- Related振り返るふりかえるNeutralNeutral verb, the everyday choice: to look back on and reflect on the past, or literally turn one's head. 「回想」 is more written and centers on mental images.
- Related思い浮かべるおもいうかべるNeutralNeutral verb: picturing something in your mind — a memory or pure imagination. 「回想」 covers only past experience.
- Related思い返すおもいかえすNeutralNeutral verb: thinking a past matter over again; also to reconsider or change one's mind — a sense 「回想」 lacks.
- Related呼び起こすよびおこすNeutralNeutral verb: to wake someone or call up memories or interest, as in 「記憶を呼び起こす」 — bringing what lies dormant out into the open.
- Antonym忘却ぼうきゃくWrittenAntonym, written: forgetting completely, as in 「忘却の彼方」 — the opposite of 「回想」 recalling the past.
Use 「回想」 for personally recalling scenes from the past, as in 「回想シーン」. For formal review of history or a life, pick 「回顧」; in everyday talk, 「振り返る」; for something simply coming to mind, 「思い出す」. The opposite is 「忘却」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
