Word
志望
Meaning in Englishwish, desire, ambition
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
志望 denotes a person’s will or intention to join or enroll in a particular organization or program; it captures the aspirational aim behind applying and is used in formal contexts such as admissions and job applications.
Main meanings
- Primary meaning a strong desire or intention to pursue admission or employment with a specific institution or company.
- Nuance indicates a longer-term goal; typically used in formal writing rather than casual speech.
- Common collocations include 志望動機, 志望校, 志望業界 to express motivation, preferred school, or industry.
How to use it
Used mainly in formal settings to express an applicant's aim or preferred choice; common contexts include admissions essays, job applications, and statements of purpose; collocations reveal a target such as 志望校 or 志望業界.
Variants and close terms
- 希望 (kibou) — hope, wish
- 志 (kokorozashi) — will, ambition
- 願望 (ganbou) — desire
Composition
- 志 = will, intention
- 望 = hope, desire
- Combined meaning = one's will toward a future goal, typically the aspiration to join a school, program, or company.
Etymology
志 (kokorozashi, on'yomi shi) and 望 (nozomi, on'yomi bou) combine to form 志望; this Sino-Japanese compound yields the reading shibou.
Word class
noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N1
欲望
yokubou
desire, appetite
N2
望遠鏡
bouenkyou
telescope
N3
失望
shitsubou
disappointment, loss of hope
N3
意志
ishi
will, volition, determination
N3
希望
kibou
hope, wish, aspiration
N3
望み
nozomi
wish, desire, (a) hope
N3
望む
nozomu
to desire, to wish for; to view
N3
同志
doushi
same mind, comrade, kindred soul
Kanji