慈しむ

• 読み: いつくしむ
• ローマ字: itsukushimu
• 漢字の分解: 慈 (ji/itsu) — compassion, mercy, love
• 発音: /i.t͡sɯ.kɯ.ɕi.mɯ/

意味

To love; to cherish; to show compassion. Implies tender, nurturing affection directed toward the vulnerable or precious.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated on the -m stem. Distinguished from 愛する (to love) by its overtone of gentle protectiveness and care for someone or something fragile. Common in literary and formal contexts, particularly when describing parental love, reverence for nature, or compassion for the less fortunate. Rarely used in casual conversation.

例文

1. 彼女は孤児院の子供たちを我が子のように慈しんだ。
2. 老人は長年育てた盆栽を慈しむように手入れした。
3. 自分を慈しむことを知らなければ、他者をも大切にできない。

使い方ガイド

場面: family, literature, religion, nature

トーン: positive

起源と歴史

Derived from Old Japanese 慈 (itsu/ji), meaning compassion or mercy, related to Buddhist concepts of loving-kindness (慈悲, jihi). The む ending is a classical verb-forming suffix indicating habitual or earnest action.

文化的背景

時代: Classical–Modern

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal