頼む・恃む・憑む|たのむtanomu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
頼む頼む is the most common written form of this word and the form beginners should normally choose when writing it.
恃む恃む is a rarely used written form of the word, so learners will seldom need to choose it in writing.
憑む憑む is a rarely used written form of the word, so learners will seldom need to choose it in writing.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto request; to beg; to ask
- godan verb, transitive verbto call; to order; to reserve
- godan verb, transitive verbto entrust to田中さんのことを頼むよ。↗Take care of Mr. Tanaka for me!
- godan verb, transitive verbto rely onesp. 恃む
- interjectionplease; please do; help me out here
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 頼む（たのむ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 頼みます（たのみます） |
| Negative (nai) | 頼まない（たのまない） |
| polite (masen) | 頼みません（たのみません） |
| classical zu / nu | 頼まず・頼まぬ（たのまず・たのまぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 頼んだ（たのんだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 頼みました（たのみました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 頼まなかった（たのまなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 頼みませんでした（たのみませんでした） |
| Te form | 頼んで（たのんで） |
| Potential | 頼める（たのめる） |
| Passive | 頼まれる（たのまれる） |
| Causative | 頼ませる（たのませる） |
| Causative passive | 頼ませられる・頼まされる（たのませられる・たのまされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 頼めば（たのめば） |
| tara | 頼んだら（たのんだら） |
| Volitional | 頼もう（たのもう） |
| polite (mashou) | 頼みましょう（たのみましょう） |
| Imperative | 頼め（たのめ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym注文ちゅうもんNeutralNeutral word for ordering goods or food, e.g. 「料理を注文する」; it centers on placing an order, not asking a favor of someone.
- Synonym乞うこうWrittenWritten/formal prose for earnestly begging or requesting, as in 「ご理解を乞う」 or 「乞うご期待」; carries a solemn tone.
- Synonym要望ようぼうWrittenWritten/formal prose for voicing wishes or appeals, e.g. 「住民の要望」; usually directed at institutions or organizations.
- Synonym願うねがうNeutralNeutral; to pray or wish for something, and also to ask someone directly, as in 「お願いします」.
- Synonym求めるもとめるNeutralNeutral; to seek or demand something, e.g. 「説明を求める」; its tone is harder than 「頼む」.
- Synonym要求ようきゅうWrittenWritten/formal prose for strongly demanding something of someone, e.g. 「賃上げを要求する」 or 「身代金を要求する」.
- Synonym依頼いらいWrittenWritten/formal prose for formally commissioning someone to do something, e.g. 「仕事を依頼する」.
- Synonym発注はっちゅうWrittenBusiness term in written/formal prose for companies placing orders, e.g. 「部品を発注する」.
- Synonym嘆願たんがんFormalFormal; to plead by laying out one's circumstances, as in 「嘆願書」; often used when begging for leniency.
- SynonymオーダーCasualColloquial loanword for ordering items or having them made to order, as in 「オーダーメイド」.
- Synonym要請ようせいFormalFormal; to solemnly request that someone take action, e.g. 「自粛を要請する」 or 「協力を要請する」.
- Synonym委託いたくWrittenWritten/formal prose for handing business over to someone else to handle, e.g. 「業務委託」; stresses handing it off.
- Synonym頼るたよるNeutralNeutral; to rely or depend on someone, e.g. 「親に頼る」; about leaning on others rather than asking them.
- Synonym懇請こんせいFormalFormal; to request someone earnestly and sincerely, mostly in formal settings, e.g. 「出席を懇請する」.
- SynonymリクエストCasualColloquial loanword for putting in a request, such as asking for a song to be played, as in 「リクエスト曲」.
- SynonymあつらえるWrittenWritten/formal prose for having something made to order, e.g. 「スーツを誂える」; stresses custom-making.
- Synonym求むもとむWrittenLiterary form of 「求める」 in written/formal prose, seen mostly in job ads, e.g. 「店員求む」.
- Synonym哀願あいがんFormalFormal; to beg piteously, with a sorrowful, plaintive coloring.
- Synonym所望しょもうWrittenWritten/formal prose; to wish to obtain something, usually with a polite tone, as in 「ご所望の品」.
- Synonym拝み倒すおがみたおすCasualColloquial; to beg someone repeatedly until they consent, e.g. 「拝み倒して借りる」.
- Related望むのぞむWrittenWritten/formal prose; to hope or wish in one's heart without necessarily asking anyone, e.g. 「平和を望む」.
To ask a favor or entrust something to someone, 「頼む」 is the default choice. Use 「注文」 for ordering food or goods, 「依頼」 for formally commissioning work, 「要求」 for strong demands, 「要請」 for solemnly requesting action, and 「頼る」 for relying on someone. For wishes and prayers turn to 「願う」, for seeking or demanding 「求める」, and for earnest pleading 「嘆願」 or 「哀願」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
