存じる|ぞんじるzonjiru[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto know; to be aware (of); to be acquainted (with)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto think; to consider; to believe; to feel
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 存じる(ぞんじる) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 存じます(ぞんじます) |
| Negative (nai) | 存じない(ぞんじない) |
| polite (masen) | 存じません(ぞんじません) |
| classical zu / nu | 存じず・存じぬ(ぞんじず・ぞんじぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 存じた(ぞんじた) |
| polite (mashita) | 存じました(ぞんじました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 存じなかった(ぞんじなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 存じませんでした(ぞんじませんでした) |
| Te form | 存じて(ぞんじて) |
| Potential | 存じられる(ぞんじられる) |
| Passive | 存じられる(ぞんじられる) |
| Causative | 存じさせる(ぞんじさせる) |
| Causative passive | 存じさせられる(ぞんじさせられる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 存じれば(ぞんじれば) |
| tara | 存じたら(ぞんじたら) |
| Volitional | 存じよう(ぞんじよう) |
| polite (mashou) | 存じましょう(ぞんじましょう) |
| Imperative | 存じろ(ぞんじろ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym知るしるNeutralThe plain, neutral word for knowing or being aware; 存じる is simply its humble equivalent.
- Synonym心得るこころえるNeutralMeans to know or understand something well enough to do it, as in 「作法を心得る」; stresses mastery rather than humble politeness.
- Synonym存知ぞんじFormalA noun meaning knowing; mostly seen in the honorific 「ご存知」, the respectful counterpart to humble 存じる.
- Synonym承知しょうちNeutralA noun for knowing and accepting something, as in 「承知しました」; stresses consent rather than humble knowing.
- SynonymわかるNeutralThe everyday word for understanding or something becoming clear; stresses comprehension, not humility.
- Synonym存じ上げるぞんじあげるFormalHumble term for being acquainted with someone, as in 「お名前は存じ上げております」; its object is typically a person.
- Synonym存ずるぞんずるFormalAn alternative conjugation of 存じる with the same meaning, but sounding more solemn and old-fashioned.
- Related気づくきづくNeutralMeans to notice or become aware of something, often suddenly; it is not a humble form.
- Related了知りょうちWrittenA written-style word for understanding something; rare in modern use and carries no humble nuance.
Use 「存じる」 to humbly say you know or think, as in 「存じております」. For knowing a person, use 「存じ上げる」; in everyday speech, 「知る」 or 「分かる」. Use 「承知」 for agreeing, and the honorific 「ご存知」 when speaking of someone else's knowledge.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


