敬う|うやまうuyamau[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto show respect for; to revere; to honour; to honor; to worship; to hold in esteem
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 敬う（うやまう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 敬います（うやまいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 敬わない（うやまわない） |
| polite (masen) | 敬いません（うやまいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 敬わず・敬わぬ（うやまわず・うやまわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 敬った（うやまった） |
| polite (mashita) | 敬いました（うやまいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 敬わなかった（うやまわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 敬いませんでした（うやまいませんでした） |
| Te form | 敬って（うやまって） |
| Potential | 敬える（うやまえる） |
| Passive | 敬われる（うやまわれる） |
| Causative | 敬わせる（うやまわせる） |
| Causative passive | 敬わせられる・敬わされる（うやまわせられる・うやまわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 敬えば（うやまえば） |
| tara | 敬ったら（うやまったら） |
| Volitional | 敬おう（うやまおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 敬いましょう（うやまいましょう） |
| Imperative | 敬え（うやまえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym尊敬そんけいNeutralA neutral noun and the most common everyday word for respecting someone. 「敬う」 is more solemn, used mainly for elders and deities.
- Synonym崇拝すうはいWrittenA noun for worship or adoration, as in 「偶像崇拝」 and 「英雄崇拝」; often carries a religious colouring.
- Synonym畏敬いけいWrittenA noun for awe, as in 「畏敬の念」; centres on reverence for something great or sublime.
- Synonym敬服けいふくWrittenA noun for deep admiration — being sincerely impressed, as in 「敬服に値する」.
- Synonym尊ぶとうとぶWrittenTo value or esteem, as in 「和を尊ぶ」; leans written.
- Synonym景仰けいこうWrittenWritten/formal prose for revering and looking up to someone of high virtue; rare in modern Japanese. In everyday speech say 「敬う」 or 「尊敬する」.
- Synonym尊むとうとむWrittenTo prize or hold dear, as in 「伝統を尊む」; leans written. 「敬う」 centres on treating people with courtesy.
- Synonym崇めるあがめるWrittenTo revere something deeply — gods, buddhas or outstanding figures, as in 「神を崇める」.
- Synonym尊崇そんすうWrittenA written-style noun for revering, used mostly of deities and past sages. 「敬う」 is the everyday verb.
- Synonym敬するけいするFormalA formal written word for respecting; rare today, found mainly in classical prose and kanbun readings. Say 「敬う」 in everyday speech.
- Synonym欽仰きんぎょうWrittenA written word for revering, used of emperors or sages; extremely rare today, with a strongly archaic, elegant flavour.
- Synonym欽慕きんぼWrittenA written word for admiring and revering; extremely rare today. It adds a layer of yearning admiration beyond 「敬う」.
- Synonym崇めたてるあがめたてるWrittenTo extol someone to the skies, holding them up very high; sometimes carries an ironic nuance.
- Synonym敬畏けいいWrittenA written-style noun for awe — respect mixed with fear. 「敬う」 expresses respect only, without any sense of fear.
- Synonym推尊すいそんWrittenA written word for revering and extolling; extremely rare today. It stresses raising someone up as an object of honour.
- Synonym敬慕けいぼWrittenA written-style noun for loving and looking up to someone; carries a sense of closeness.
- Synonym崇敬すうけいWrittenA written-style noun for reverence, used mostly of deities and ancestors.
- Synonym尊信そんしんWrittenA written word for revering and believing in; extremely rare today. It carries a sense of faith, which 「敬う」 does not necessarily imply.
- Antonym侮るあなどるNeutralTo underestimate or make light of someone, as in 「相手を侮る」 — the direct opposite of 「敬う」.
- Antonym軽んじるかろんじるNeutralTo make light of something and not take it seriously, as in 「命を軽んじる」 — the opposite of respecting.
- Antonym蔑むさげすむNeutralTo scorn or despise someone, looking down from above — the opposite of 「敬う」.
Use 「敬う」 for heartfelt respect toward elders and deities, as in 「老人を敬う」. In everyday speech 「尊敬」 is the default choice; use 「崇める」 for deep veneration, 「畏敬」 for awe, and 「敬服」 for admiration. For the opposite, 「侮る」 means to look down on someone and 「蔑む」 to scorn them.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
