求める|もとめるmotomeru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto want; to wish for
2. ichidan verb, transitive verbto request; to demand; to require; to ask for
   いつでも彼かれの援助えんじょを求もとめられます。↗

   You can always ask for his help.
3. ichidan verb, transitive verbto seek; to search for; to look for; to pursue (pleasure); to hunt (a job); to find (a solution)
   彼かれはより良よい生活せいかつを求もとめてブラジルに移住いじゅうした。↗

   He immigrated to Brazil in search of a better life.
4. ichidan verb, transitive verbto purchase; to buy

• Synonym願うねがうNeutralCentres on hoping in one's heart or praying to gods and Buddhas, as in 「平和を願う」; 「求める」 is about actively asking for or seeking something.
• Synonym要望ようぼうNeutralA noun for the wish that someone do something; often used when making requests to institutions, as in 「要望書」. Softer in tone than 「要求」.
• Synonym望むのぞむNeutralCentres on inward hoping, as in 「平和を望む」; 「求める」 stresses reaching outward to obtain or find things, and can also mean seeking a solution.
• Synonym欲するほっするWrittenWritten style for wanting or desiring, mostly in prose, as in 「心の欲するところ」; in speech you would say 「欲しい」.
• Synonym要求ようきゅうNeutralDemanding firmly that someone do something, or a required condition, as in 「賃上げを要求する」; stronger than 「求める」.
• Synonym希望きぼうNeutralA wish or aspiration, as in 「希望を持つ」; expresses desire more gently than 「求める」 and carries no sense of searching.
• Synonym注文ちゅうもんNeutralOrdering goods or food, or asking for changes in how something is done, as in 「注文をつける」; 「求める」 is not limited to transactions.
• Synonym頼むたのむNeutralCommon in speech for asking someone to do something or ordering food, as in 「仕事を頼む」; 「求める」 is more written and demand-like.
• Synonym志望しぼうNeutralHoping to enter a school or company or take up a profession, as in 「志望校」「志望動機」; its object is a future path or status, while 「求める」 is unrestricted.
• Synonym念願ねんがんNeutralA long-cherished wish, as in 「念願のマイホーム」, often with a feeling of it finally coming true; mostly a noun, while 「求める」 is the act of asking or seeking.
• Synonym願望がんぼうNeutralAn inner wish or longing, as in 「結婚願望」; mostly a noun and psychological, with no sense of asking something of others.
• Synonym欲しがるほしがるNeutralDescribes someone visibly wanting something, mainly for third persons, as in 「子供がおもちゃを欲しがる」; for oneself you would say 「欲しい」.
• Synonym要請ようせいFormalA formal request, mostly between officials or organizations, as in 「出動を要請する」; more formal than 「求める」.
• Synonym乞うこうWrittenTo beg or entreat humbly, as in 「許しを乞う」「教えを請う」; humble in tone and literary.
• Synonym念じるねんじるWrittenWritten word for silently praying or wishing in one's heart, or chanting a Buddha's name; inward petition, not asking anything of others.
• Synonym期待きたいNeutralHoping a good result will come, as in 「活躍を期待する」; centres on waiting rather than actively asking.
• Synonym請求せいきゅうNeutralClaiming payment or delivery as a right, as in 「代金を請求する」「請求書」; usually involves money or legal matters.
• Synonym期すきすWrittenTo resolve on something or look forward to it, also to set a time, as in 「必勝を期す」; stresses resolve and is strongly literary.
• Synonym希求ききゅうWrittenLiterary word for strongly longing for something, as in 「平和を希求する」; common in constitutions and declarations.
• SynonymリクエストNeutralLoanword for making a request, such as asking for a song, as in 「リクエスト曲」; casual in tone and fairly specific in content.
• Synonym依頼いらいNeutralEntrusting a task to someone, as in 「調査を依頼する」; stresses handing the job over to another person.
• Synonym追求ついきゅうWrittenWritten word for ceaselessly pursuing a goal or ideal, as in 「利益を追求する」; stresses sustained pursuit.
• Synonym欲求よっきゅうWrittenWritten word for a desire or need to be satisfied, from physiological to social levels, as in 「欲求不満」; mostly a noun.
• Synonym探すさがすNeutralTo look for things or people, as in 「仕事を探す」; 「求める」 also means seeking but is more written and abstract.
• Synonym求むもとむWrittenAn archaic form of 「求める」, now seen mostly in job ads and headlines, as in 「経験者求む」.
• Synonym所望しょもうFormalFormal, honorific-flavoured word for wanting or requesting, as in 「ご所望の品」; dignified and somewhat old-fashioned.
• Synonym念ずるねんずるWrittenAn older form of 「念じる」 with the same meaning — silent prayer or wishing — with an even more archaic feel.
• Synonym期するきするWrittenAnother form of 「期す」, meaning to resolve to accomplish something or to expect, as in 「再起を期する」; written usage.
• Antonym与えるあたえるNeutralAntonym: to give or grant, the opposite of asking someone for something, as in 「機会を与える」.
• Antonym拒むこばむNeutralAntonym: to refuse what someone asks, countering the demand made by 「求める」, as in 「要求を拒む」.

Use 「求める」 for wanting, asking for or seeking something. Ask a favour with 「頼む」, demand firmly with 「要求」, make an official request with 「要請」, and voice an inward hope with 「望む」 or 「願う」. For orders use 「注文」, for claims 「請求」, for commissions 「依頼」; nouns like 「希望」「願望」「念願」 name the wish itself, while written or formal words such as 「欲する」「乞う」「所望」「希求」 belong to prose.

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

1. 探さがす。たずねる。探さぐる。
2. 欲ほしいと思おもって追求ついきゅうする。手てに入いれることを望のぞむ。
3. 要求ようきゅうする。
4. 金かねを払はらって手てに入いれる。買かう。
5. 計算けいさんして答こたえを出だす。