敬意|けいいkeii[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounrespect; honour; honor
   親おやに対たいして敬意けいいを表あらわさなければいけない。↗

   You should be respectful to your parents.

• Synonym尊敬そんけいNeutralNeutral. For actually respecting someone, as in 「先生を尊敬する」; it stresses holding a person in esteem, while 「敬意」 is mostly used in set phrases like 「敬意を表する」.
• Synonym畏敬いけいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Reverence mixed with awe toward something sublime, as in 「自然への畏敬」; 「敬意」 is plain respect without the fear element.
• Synonym尊重そんちょうNeutralNeutral. For valuing opinions, rights and the like, as in 「人権を尊重する」; it stresses treating something as important, not looking up to it.
• Synonym恭敬きょうけいFormalFormal and written; respectful, cautious deference. Rare in modern usage — in everyday speech 「敬意」 is the natural choice.
• Synonym欽慕きんぼWrittenWritten/formal prose. Adoring, admiring respect; rare today. It adds a note of fond attachment that 「敬意」 lacks.
• Related敬けいWrittenWritten/formal prose. A single character meaning respect, used mostly as a building block in compounds like 「敬老」; standing alone is rare.
• Antonym軽蔑けいべつNeutralNeutral. Contempt — looking down on someone, as in 「軽蔑の目」; it is the direct opposite of the respect expressed by 「敬意」.
• Antonym侮蔑ぶべつWrittenWritten/formal prose. Insulting scorn, viewing someone as beneath you; the written-flavored opposite of 「敬意」 — in speech 「軽蔑」 is more common.

To express respect, use 「敬意を表する」. To respect a person, choose 「尊敬」; for awe at something sublime, 「畏敬」; for valuing opinions or rights, 「尊重」. To look down on someone, use 「軽蔑」. 「恭敬」, 「欽慕」 and 「敬」 are rare written words.

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

1. 敬うやまう気持きもち。