思い出す|おもいだすomoidasu[4]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N4approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto recall; to remember; to recollect
    あなたを見みるとお兄にいさんを思い出おもいだします。↗
    You remind me of your brother.
Conjugation
Dictionary form思い出す(おもいだす)
Polite (masu)思い出します(おもいだします)
Negative (nai)思い出さない(おもいださない)
polite (masen)思い出しません(おもいだしません)
classical zu / nu思い出さず・思い出さぬ(おもいださず・おもいださぬ)
Past (ta)思い出した(おもいだした)
polite (mashita)思い出しました(おもいだしました)
Past negative (nakatta)思い出さなかった(おもいださなかった)
polite (masen deshita)思い出しませんでした(おもいだしませんでした)
Te form思い出して(おもいだして)
Potential思い出せる(おもいだせる)
Passive思い出される(おもいだされる)
Causative思い出させる(おもいださせる)
Causative passive思い出させられる(おもいださせられる)
Conditional (ba)思い出せば(おもいだせば)
tara思い出したら(おもいだしたら)
Volitional思い出そう(おもいだそう)
polite (mashou)思い出しましょう(おもいだしましょう)
Imperative思い出せ(おもいだせ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym回想かいそうWrittenWritten style. Consciously looks back over one's own past experiences, as in 「青春を回想する」; a more deliberate tracing of the past than 「思い出す」.
  • Synonym想起そうきWrittenWritten style for recalling something from the past, as in 「記憶の想起」; seen in news, commentary and psychology. In everyday speech, say 「思い出す」.
  • Synonym思い返すおもいかえすCasualColloquial. Thinking back over the past, as in 「思い返せば」, and also changing one's mind; stresses mulling things over again and again.
  • Synonym回顧かいこFormalFormal term for looking back on the past with an eye to taking stock, as in 「回顧録」 and 「回顧展」.
  • Synonym追憶ついおくFormalFormal, written word for reminiscing about days gone by, as in 「追憶にふける」; carries a nostalgic, wistful tone.
  • Synonym思い起こすおもいおこすNeutralNeutral. Bringing something back to mind anew, as in 「当時を思い起こす」; can also mean rousing one's spirits.
  • Synonym思い浮かべるおもいうかべるNeutralNeutral. Picturing something in your mind, as in 「顔を思い浮かべる」; also used for imagining things you have not seen.
  • RelatedしのぶWrittenFor fondly remembering or honoring the departed or times past, as in 「故人を偲ぶ」; carries deep, affectionate longing.
  • Related追懐ついかいFormalFormal word for reminiscing and cherishing memories, close to 「追憶」 but used less often.
  • Antonym忘れるわすれるNeutralThe opposite of 「思い出す」: to forget, as in 「名前を忘れる」.

For recalling something, 「思い出す」 is the default. Use 「回想」 or 「回顧」 to look back on the past, 「追憶」 for wistful reminiscence, 「偲ぶ」 for the departed, 「思い浮かべる」 for mental images, and 「忘れる」 to forget.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 過去かこの事ことや忘わすれていた事ことを思い浮おもいうかべる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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