畏敬|いけいikei[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verb, transitive verbreverence; awe; respect
   私わたしたちはその話はなしを聞きいたとき、畏敬いけいの念ねんに打うたれてしまった。↗

   We were awed into silence when we heard the story.

• Synonym尊敬そんけいNeutralThe everyday default for respect; honours a person's character or abilities, without the awe toward the sublime that 「畏敬」 carries.
• Synonym敬意けいいNeutralThe feeling of respect itself; typically in 「敬意を払う」 or 「敬意を表する」.
• Synonym畏怖いふWrittenWritten register. Dread, even trembling; the respect in it is slight.
• Synonym敬ううやまうNeutralA native verb: to treat someone with courtesy and respect, as in 「目上を敬う」.
• Synonym崇敬すうけいWrittenWritten register. Reverence for gods, Buddhas or great figures; its weight of respect is close to 「畏敬」 but with little of the awe.
• Synonym尊崇そんすうWrittenWritten register. Honours and exalts its object — gods, Buddhas, sages and the like — but lacks the fear element of 「畏敬」.
• Synonym敬畏けいいNeutralThe same characters in reverse order and a near-identical sense — respect mixed with fear — but rare in modern Japanese.
• Synonym恭敬きょうけいFormalFormal. A cautious, deferential attitude, chiefly a matter of bearing; no element of awe.
• Synonym尊信そんしんWrittenWritten and rare. Respect joined with faith; used mostly in religious contexts.
• Related敬愛けいあいWrittenWritten register. Respect combined with affection, as in 「敬愛する先生」.
• Related崇拝すうはいWrittenWritten register. Reverence bordering on worship, as in 「偶像崇拝」.
• Related尊ぶとうとぶNeutralValues and honours what is precious, as in 「和を尊ぶ」; the emphasis is on worth, not awe.
• Related尊重そんちょうNeutralTreats someone's opinions or rights as inviolable and gives them priority; no sense of awe.
• Related敬慕けいぼWrittenWritten register. Respect tinged with longing and a sense of closeness; milder than 「畏敬」.
• Related景仰けいこうWrittenWritten and rare; admiring reverence for someone you look up to, with a strong kanbun flavour.
• Related欽仰きんぎょうFormalFormal and rare, seen mainly in classical texts; deep, admiring reverence.
• Related欽慕きんぼFormalFormal and rare; admiring respect, synonymous with 「敬慕」.
• Related崇めるあがめるWrittenA native verb: to exalt someone as sublime and revere them — gods, Buddhas or great figures. 「畏敬」 is a noun and usually carries awe.
• Related畏懼いくFormalFormal and rare. Fear and wariness — being afraid and holding back — rather than respect.
• Related仰望ぎょうぼうWrittenWritten register. Looking up to someone in reverence; can also mean entrusting hopes or expectations to them.
• Related敬するけいするFormalFormal. A classical verb for respecting; stiff-sounding and little used today.
• Antonym軽蔑けいべつNeutralAntonym: contempt — looking down on someone; the opposite of awe-filled 「畏敬」.
• Antonym侮蔑ぶべつWrittenAntonym, written register: scorn and disdain, standing against the reverent 「畏敬」.

Use 「畏敬」 for awe mixed with reverence toward something sublime or great — written register, typically 「畏敬の念を抱く」. For everyday respect pick 「尊敬」; to speak of paying respect, 「敬意」; for reverence bordering on worship, 「崇拝」. The rest are narrower: 「崇敬」「尊崇」 revere without the fear; 「敬愛」「敬慕」 add affection; 「畏怖」「畏懼」 stress the fear; and the verbs 「敬う」「尊ぶ」「崇める」 turn the feeling into action.

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

1. 崇高すうこうなものや人ひとを恐おそれ敬うやまうこと。