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N3

Kanji 望: meanings, readings, and example words.

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Kanji 望: ambition, full moon, hope, desire, aspire to, expect

Key takeaways

Kanji 望: ambition, full moon, hope, desire, aspire to, expect. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

望
N3

Meaning

ambitionfull moonhopedesireaspire toexpect

On reading

ボウモウ

Kun reading

のぞ.むもち

Radical

月

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 望

ambition, full moon, hope, desire, aspire to, expect

Kanji structure breakdown

望

Structure breakdown

亡 + 月 + 王

Mnemonic story

Mnemonic story

A king (王) who has lost (亡) something looks up at the moon (月) in the night sky, praying for its return. This represents the act of 'hoping' or 'expecting' something to happen.

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

ボウ
  • 志望しぼう

    wish / desire / ambition

  • 絶望ぜつぼう

    despair / hopelessness

  • 待望たいぼう

    eager expectation / long-awaited

  • 展望てんぼう

    view / outlook / prospect

  • 有望ゆうぼう

    promising / full of potential

  • 要望ようぼう

    request / demand

  • 欲望よくぼう

    desire / craving / appetite

  • 望遠鏡ぼうえんきょう

    telescope

Kun reading

のぞ.む
  • 待ち望むまちのぞむ

    to wait eagerly / to look forward to

  • 望むのぞむ

    to desire / to wish for

Commonly used words

  • 志望
    しぼう

    wish / desire / ambition

  • 絶望
    ぜつぼう

    despair / hopelessness

  • 待望
    たいぼう

    eager expectation / long-awaited

  • 展望
    てんぼう

    view / outlook / prospect

  • 有望
    ゆうぼう

    promising / full of potential

  • 要望
    ようぼう

    request / demand

  • 待ち望む
    まちのぞむ

    to wait eagerly / to look forward to

  • 望む
    のぞむ

    to desire / to wish for

Example sentences

Example 1

志望の大学に合格したいです。

Translation

I want to pass the university I wish to attend.

Example 2

彼の志望は医者になることです。

Translation

His ambition is to become a doctor.

Example 3

彼は仕事を失い、絶望した。

Translation

He lost his job and fell into despair.

Example 4

絶望せずに前を向こう。

Translation

Let's face forward without despairing.

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Kanji 望: ambition, full moon, hope, desire, aspire to, expect | Daily Nihongo