好む

• Reading: このむ
• Romaji: konomu
• Kanji breakdown: 好 (kō/kono) — like, fond of, prefer
• Pronunciation: /ko.no.mɯ/

Meaning

To like; to prefer; to have a taste for. Expresses a general preference or fondness for something.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the む row. More literary and refined than 好き. Often used to describe habitual preferences: 彼は和食を好む (he prefers Japanese food). Common in the passive form 好まれる (to be favored). Appears in set expressions like 好んで (willingly, by choice). Frequently used in written Japanese.

Examples

1. 祖父は昔から濃いお茶を好んでいる。 My grandfather has always preferred strong tea.
2. 若い人に好まれるデザインを考えている。 We're thinking of designs that are favored by young people.
3. 彼女は静かな場所を好む性格だ。 She's the type of person who prefers quiet places.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, food, personal taste

Tone: refined

Origin & History

The kanji 好 combines 女 (woman) and 子 (child), originally suggesting the fondness a mother feels for her child — a primal sense of affection and preference.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal