Japanese symbol for “yearn”
懐かしむ
なつかしむ
Romaji: natsukashimu
to yearn (for); to miss; to feel nostalgic (for); to recall fondly
In Japanese, yearn is 懐かしむ, read なつかしむ (natsukashimu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- v5m, vt to yearn (for); to miss; to feel nostalgic (for); to recall fondly
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “yearn”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 恋焦がれる | こいこがれる koikogareru | to yearn (for); to pine (for); to long (for) |
| 焦がれる | こがれる kogareru | to long (for); to yearn (for) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 懐かしい | なつかしい natsukashii | dear (old); fondly remembered; beloved |
| 懐疑 | かいぎ kaigi | doubt; skepticism; scepticism |
| 懐柔 | かいじゅう kaijuu | winning over; placation; gentle persuasion |
| 懐古 | かいこ kaiko | reminiscence; nostalgia; thinking fondly of the past |
| 述懐 | じゅっかい jukkai | speaking about (one's thoughts, memories, etc.); relating (one's feelings, reminiscences, etc.); recollection |
See also: Chinese symbol for “yearn”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.