希望（きぼう、kibou）
- hope

The Japanese word 希望, read as きぼう (kibou), primarily means "hope," "wish," or "aspiration." It represents a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen, a belief that something good will occur in the future. It can also refer to the object of this hope or desire, the thing one 希望s for. It encapsulates a positive outlook and the anticipation of a favorable outcome. It is a powerful concept tied to optimism and the drive to achieve goals. The word reflects a state of believing that good things are possible. The word can be used as a noun, but it can also be used in phrases which expresses the state of being hopeful.

⚫︎ 将来の 希望 は世界旅行です。 Translation: My 希望 (wish/hope) for the future is to travel the world. ⚫︎ 私は大学に合格する 希望 を捨てません。 Translation: I haven't given up on the 希望 (hope) of passing the university entrance exam. ⚫︎ 彼女は新しい仕事を見つける 希望 を持っています。 Translation: She has the 希望 (hope/wish) of finding a new job.

⚫︎ 希望 is used in various contexts to express hope, desire, or ambition. ⚫︎ It's applicable in both formal and informal situations. ⚫︎ When discussing goals, dreams, or future plans, 希望 is a versatile word. ⚫︎ It can be used to describe personal aspirations, societal expectations, or even the 希望 one has for others. ⚫︎ It is appropriate to use 希望 when referring to positive outlooks, and wishing for something to come true.

⚫︎ 希望 is primarily written using Kanji. ⚫︎ The reading, きぼう (kibou), uses Hiragana. ⚫︎ The Kanji is composed of the characters 希 (ki - rare, hope) and 望 (bou - wish, desire, hope, expect). ⚫︎ There are no variations in okurigana for this word.

⚫︎ 望み (nozomi) - Hope, wish, aspiration (similar but often carries a slightly stronger sense of desire). ⚫︎ 願い (negai) - Wish, desire, request (focuses more on the act of wishing or making a request). ⚫︎ 期待 (kitai) - Expectation, anticipation (emphasizes expecting a positive outcome). ⚫︎ 願望 (ganbou) - Desire, wish, aspiration (often used for strong desires). ⚫︎ 楽観 (rakkan) - Optimism (related to hope).

⚫︎ 絶望 (zetsubou) - Despair, hopelessness. ⚫︎ 諦め (akirame) - Resignation, giving up. ⚫︎ 悲観 (hikan) - Pessimism.

来年の夏休みに海外旅行へ行けることを 希望 しています。 ・Translation: I am hoping that I can go on a trip abroad next summer vacation. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the speaker's 希望 for a future event, highlighting the positive anticipation.

世界平和を 希望 します。 ・Translation: I hope for world peace. ・Explanation: This example shows 希望 applied to a broader, more significant goal or desire.

The word 希望 is a compound word derived from Chinese characters. The first character 希 (ki) originally meant "rare" or "few," but over time it came to include the meaning of "hope" or "expect." The second character 望 (bou) signifies "wish," "desire," or "hope." Combining these two characters created the word 希望, which came to be associated with an aspiration or wish. The etymology reflects the historical cultural exchange between China and Japan and the development of the Japanese language.