恃む

• 読み: たのむ
• ローマ字: tanomu
• 漢字の分解: 恃 (ji/tano) — to rely on, to trust in
• 発音: /ta.no.mɯ/

意味

To rely on; to count on; to place confidence in; to trust in as a source of strength.

A Group 1 (godan) verb expressing deep reliance on someone or something as a pillar of support or source of confidence. Unlike the common 頼む (to ask, request), 恃む carries a stronger sense of inward trust and dependence — placing one's confidence in another's ability or in one's own strength. It is largely literary and formal in modern Japanese, often used in historical and classical contexts.

例文

1. 才能のみを恃んで努力を怠った者は、いつか必ず壁にぶつかる。
2. 彼は長年共に戦ってきた仲間を恃み、最後の決戦に臨んだ。
3. 武力を恃む外交は、長期的には相手の反発を招くだけである。

使い方ガイド

場面: classical literature, formal essays, historical narratives, philosophy

トーン: serious, literary

起源と歴史

From classical Japanese. The kanji 恃 combines 心 (heart, mind) with a phonetic component suggesting reliance, conveying trust or confidence residing in the heart. Distinct from 頼む by its emphasis on internal reliance rather than an outward request.

文化的背景

時代: Classical–Present

世代: Educated adults

社会的背景: Educated, literary