慕 means “adore, yearn for”

したう · shitau

Also: pining, love dearly

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

したう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ボ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 14 strokes

The story

莫, the sun (日) sinking into the grass, over a heart (⺗): picture longing for someone as the day grows dark. 慕う is to adore or look up to, 思慕 is yearning, and a well-liked boss is 部下に慕われる, looked up to by everyone below.

Used in 慕う (shitau, to adore/long for), 思慕 (shibo, yearning), and 敬慕 (keibo, love and respect)

More from Joy & Sorrow

• 愁 melancholy
• 憧 long for
• 爽 refreshing
• 憬 yearning
• 鬱 gloom
• 歓 delight
• 慰 console
• 悔 regret
• 奮 stir up
• 嘆 lament
• 憂 anxiety
• 惜 a pity

Learn 慕 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.