念じる|ねんじるnenjiru[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto wish (for); to pray (for); to hope (for)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto pray silently; to recite (Buddha's name, sutras, etc.) in one's mind; to chant (a silent prayer)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 念じる（ねんじる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 念じます（ねんじます） |
| Negative (nai) | 念じない（ねんじない） |
| polite (masen) | 念じません（ねんじません） |
| classical zu / nu | 念じず・念じぬ（ねんじず・ねんじぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 念じた（ねんじた） |
| polite (mashita) | 念じました（ねんじました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 念じなかった（ねんじなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 念じませんでした（ねんじませんでした） |
| Te form | 念じて（ねんじて） |
| Potential | 念じられる（ねんじられる） |
| Passive | 念じられる（ねんじられる） |
| Causative | 念じさせる（ねんじさせる） |
| Causative passive | 念じさせられる（ねんじさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 念じれば（ねんじれば） |
| tara | 念じたら（ねんじたら） |
| Volitional | 念じよう（ねんじよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 念じましょう（ねんじましょう） |
| Imperative | 念じろ（ねんじろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym望むのぞむNeutralEveryday word for wanting or hoping for something or an outcome, with no prayer nuance; 「念じる」 is a strong, silent wish made in one's heart.
- Synonym願うねがうNeutralBroader than 「念じる」: to wish, request, or pray to the gods; common in the polite 「お願いします」.
- Synonym祈るいのるNeutralTo pray to the gods and Buddhas or wish someone well, as in 「ご健康を祈ります」; not necessarily silent, unlike 「念じる」.
- Synonym希望きぼうNeutralThe most ordinary noun for hope or expectation; no nuance of silent prayer.
- Synonym求めるもとめるNeutralVerb for seeking, requesting, or pursuing something; stresses actively going after it, not praying inwardly.
- Synonym念ずるねんずるWrittenThe ずる-form of 「念じる」 with the same meaning, but slightly old-fashioned; 「念じる」 is the usual choice today.
- Synonym希うこいねがうWrittenArchaic, rare even in written prose; earnestly begs or entreats. 「念じる」 centers on silent inner prayer, 「希う」 on pleading.
- Related念願ねんがんNeutralNoun for a wish one has long and strongly cherished, often in 「念願の〜」; 「念じる」 is the verb for silently praying for something.
- Related志望しぼうNeutralNoun for one's choice of school, career, etc., as in 「志望校」; not about prayer.
- Related願望がんぼうNeutralNoun for a desire or wish, focusing on what one wants inside; more abstract than 「念じる」.
- Related欲するほっするWrittenWritten, literary verb for wanting or craving, often as 「〜を欲する」; carries no sense of prayer.
- Related期待きたいNeutralNoun for expecting or looking forward to a good outcome; centers on waiting, with no act of silent prayer.
- Related要望ようぼうNeutralNoun for a request or demand made to another party, often voiced publicly; not an inner prayer.
- Related欲求よっきゅうNeutralNoun for desire or need, from basic instincts to social and altruistic ones; common in psychology, with no prayer sense.
- Related希求ききゅうWrittenWritten noun for a strong longing, typically for things like peace or truth; no sense of silent prayer.
- Related志願しがんNeutralNoun for volunteering or applying of one's own will, as in 「志願兵」; not about prayer.
- Related祈念きねんNeutralNoun for praying to the gods, used in rituals and in formal letters and greetings like 「ご成功を祈念します」.
- Related欲しがるほしがるNeutralColloquial verb for visibly wanting something, used of third parties; unrelated to prayer.
- Related祈願きがんNeutralNoun for praying to the gods for success, as in 「合格祈願」; tied to religious ritual, not necessarily silent.
- Related祈祷きとうNeutralNoun for prayer with a strong religious flavor, also exorcism; 「念じる」 is silent prayer in one's heart.
- Related所望しょもうWrittenNoun for wanting something or requesting it by name, as in 「ご所望の品」; old-fashioned, no prayer nuance.
Use 「念じる」 for a strong wish made silently in your heart. To pray to the gods or wish someone well, say 「祈る」; for everyday hoping or requesting, use 「願う」 or 「望む」. For a long-cherished wish, use the noun 「念願」; 「念ずる」 is an older form of the headword. 「希望」 is the most general noun, 「期待」 looks ahead to results, 「要望」 is a request to others, 「志望」 and 「志願」 cover ambitions and volunteering, 「欲求」 and 「希求」 are desires or needs, 「祈願」「祈祷」「祈念」 are religious prayer, and 「欲しがる」 and 「求める」 are about wanting or seeking.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
