願う|ねがうnegau[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 願う（ねがう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 願います（ねがいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 願わない（ねがわない） |
| polite (masen) | 願いません（ねがいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 願わず・願わぬ（ねがわず・ねがわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 願った（ねがった） |
| polite (mashita) | 願いました（ねがいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 願わなかった（ねがわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 願いませんでした（ねがいませんでした） |
| Te form | 願って（ねがって） |
| Potential | 願える（ねがえる） |
| Passive | 願われる（ねがわれる） |
| Causative | 願わせる（ねがわせる） |
| Causative passive | 願わせられる・願わされる（ねがわせられる・ねがわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 願えば（ねがえば） |
| tara | 願ったら（ねがったら） |
| Volitional | 願おう（ねがおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 願いましょう（ねがいましょう） |
| Imperative | 願え（ねがえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym望むのぞむNeutralFocuses on wanting something in your heart, e.g. 「平和を望む」; also means to look out over. 「願う」 carries a stronger sense of praying or requesting.
- Synonym念願ねんがんWrittenA noun for a wish long and strongly cherished, as in 「念願の初優勝」; works whether or not it comes true. Stresses the long time involved, unlike 「願う」.
- Synonym願望がんぼうWrittenWritten-style noun for a desire held in the heart, e.g. 「願望を叶える」; it stresses personal wanting, while 「願う」 is the verb form.
- Synonym欲するほっするWrittenWritten word for wanting or craving, e.g. 「平和を欲する」; states desire more directly than 「願う」 and carries no sense of praying or begging.
- Synonym希求ききゅうWrittenWritten word for longing or striving, e.g. 「平和を希求する」; mostly for lofty ideals. In everyday speech you would say 「願う」.
- Synonym希望きぼうNeutralFor hope, e.g. 「希望を持つ」, 「希望者」; usually a noun or 「希望する」. 「願う」 carries a stronger sense of praying or entreating.
- Synonym求めるもとめるNeutralFor seeking or asking for, e.g. 「助けを求める」, 「説明を求める」; common in both speech and writing, with no nuance of praying.
- Synonym念じるねんじるWrittenWritten word for silently praying or wishing in one's heart, e.g. 「無事を念じる」; stresses inward, silent prayer more than 「願う」.
- Synonym要求ようきゅうNeutralA noun for making a firm demand, e.g. 「賃上げを要求する」; its tone is much harder than 「願う」 and it involves no pleading.
- Synonym欲求よっきゅうWrittenWritten word for desire or need, e.g. 「欲求不満」; leans psychological. It does not mean praying or begging anyone for something.
- Synonym頼むたのむNeutralFor asking a favor or entrusting a task, also ordering, e.g. 「仕事を頼む」; the everyday standby, but it never expresses a prayer.
- Synonym乞うこうWrittenWritten word for begging or asking, e.g. 「ご期待を乞う」, 「許しを乞う」; more archaic and literary than 「願う」.
- Synonym所望しょもうWrittenWritten word for wanting to get something or asking for it by name, e.g. 「ご所望の品」; often honorific in tone. It voices a wish to have, never a prayer.
- Synonym希うこいねがうWrittenLiterary, elegant word for earnestly yearning, e.g. 「平和を希う」; stronger than 「願う」 and rarely heard in daily life.
- Related嘆願たんがんFormalFormal word for pleading one's case, e.g. 「嘆願書を出す」; typically a petition to the authorities. More solemn than 「願う」.
- Related祈るいのるNeutralFor praying to the gods or Buddha, or heartfelt wishing, e.g. 「合格を祈る」; it centers on prayer and, unlike 「願う」, cannot mean asking a person for something.
- Related期待きたいNeutralFor looking forward to or expecting, e.g. 「活躍を期待する」; it centers on anticipating a result and has no nuance of praying or requesting.
- Related欲しがるほしがるCasualColloquial word for visibly wanting something, mostly used of other people, e.g. 「子供がおもちゃを欲しがる」.
- Related懇請こんせいFormalFormal term for an earnest request, e.g. 「協力を懇請する」; mostly in official documents. In everyday speech say 「お願いする」.
- Related志願しがんWrittenFor applying or volunteering of one's own will, e.g. 「志願兵」, 「入隊を志願する」; it centers on signing up and does not express a prayer.
- Related頼み込むたのみこむCasualFor earnestly pressing a request on someone, e.g. 「頼み込んで協力してもらう」; more colloquial than 「願う」 and used only for asking people.
- Related拝むおがむCasualFor clasping hands in worship, and also for begging, as in 「拝むから頼む」; can also humbly mean to look at something. Quite colloquial.
- RelatedリクエストCasualLoanword for putting in a request, e.g. 「リクエスト曲」; casual and light, with no nuance of praying or wishing.
- Related哀願あいがんFormalFor begging piteously, e.g. 「涙ながらに哀願する」; carries a plea-for-mercy tone, humbler and more intense than 「願う」.
For praying, wishing or asking, 「願う」 is the default. Want something in your heart: 「望む」. Pray to gods or Buddha: 「祈る」. Ask someone in daily life: 「頼む」. Make a firm demand: 「要求」. Petition the authorities: 「嘆願」. Most alternatives are register-specific: written, formal or casual.
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
