Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 願

願

Level:N3 High
Strokes:19
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji 願 primarily conveys the idea of "wish," "desire," "hope," or "request." It encompasses the act of wanting something to happen, expressing a strong desire or making a formal request. It reflects a state of yearning or aspiration.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): ガン (gan) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ねが(う) (nega(u))

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 願い Translation: Wish; desire; request. ⚫︎ 願書 Translation: Application form; written request. ⚫︎ 願う Translation: To wish; to hope; to request.

Origin and Formation

The kanji 願 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is 原 (げん, gen), which originally depicted a flat plain or source. The right side is 頁 (ページ, pēji), which means "head" and is used here to indicate the sound. The combination of these two elements, in this case, suggests a source of the desire or wish, originating from the "head" or mind. Over time, the character evolved to embody the concept of wishing or hoping.

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