Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of field and heart. Thinking in the heart.
Symbolism
Thought, memory, ideology. Represents inner mental activity.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Pondering thoughts
Component Breakdown
top-bottom: field + heart
Words & Expressions
Words written with 思
Four-Character Compounds
意思表示
いしひょうじ
expressing one's feelings; communicating one's intention; declaration of intent
思案投首
しあんなげくび
being at one's wit's end; being (quite) at a loss (what to do)
千思万考
せんしばんこう
deep meditation; mature consideration
沈思黙考
ちんしもっこう
being lost in deep thought
不可思議
ふかしぎ
mystery; something inexplicable; wonder
末法思想
まっぽうしそう
pessimism due to decadent-age theory
相思相愛
そうしそうあい
mutual love
鼻元思案
はなもとじあん
superficial (shortsighted) way of thinking; half-baked (foolish, ill-advised) idea
思慮分別
しりょふんべつ
discreet and well-advised judgment; wise and mature judgment; making judgment with prudence
熟思黙想
じゅくしもくそう
considering (a matter) carefully and silently; being lost in silent contemplation
垂直思考
すいちょくしこう
rigid (stereotypical) thinking that adheres to preconceived notions; vertical thinking; linear thinking
鼻先思案
はなさきじあん
superficial (shortsighted) way of thinking; half-baked (foolish, ill-advised) idea
喉元思案
のどもとじあん
superficial way of thinking; shortsighted thinking; shallow idea
Proverbs & Idioms
思い立ったが吉日
おもいたったがきちじつ
The day you decide is a lucky day
No time like the present
思い通りにならない
おもいどおりにならない
Things don't go as planned
Life doesn't always go according to plan
Poetry
わびぬれば 今はた同じ 難波なる みをつくしても あはむとぞ思ふ
In this misery it makes no difference now. Like the channel markers at Naniwa, I will spend myself utterly to see you.
山里は 冬ぞさびしさ まさりける 人めも草も かれぬと思へば
A mountain village is loneliest in winter, when I think how both the visitors and the grasses have gone.
忘らるる 身をば思はず 誓ひてし 人のいのちの 惜しくもあるかな
It is not myself, forgotten, that I grieve for, but the life of the one who swore to me and broke the oath.
しのぶれど 色に出でにけり わが恋は 物や思ふと 人の問ふまで
I hid it, and yet it has shown in my face; my love, until people ask me what is on my mind.
恋すてふ わが名はまだき 立ちにけり 人知れずこそ 思ひ初めしか
Rumour that I am in love has gone around already, and I had only just begun to feel it, in secret.
あひ見ての のちの心に くらぶれば 昔は物を 思はざりけり
Compared with how my heart feels now, after meeting you, I had no idea before what longing was.
あはれとも いふべき人は 思ほえで 身のいたづらに なりぬべきかな
I can think of no one who would say they pity me, and so it seems I must simply waste away.
風をいたみ 岩うつ波の おのれのみ くだけて物を 思ふころかな
Like a wave driven hard by the wind, breaking itself against the rock, I alone am shattered by these thoughts.
みかきもり 衛士のたく火の 夜は燃え 昼は消えつつ 物をこそ思へ
Like the fire the palace guards keep, blazing at night and dying by day, so my thoughts burn and fade.
君がため 惜しからざりし 命さへ 長くもがなと 思ひけるかな
For your sake I once thought my life not worth keeping. Now I find myself wishing it long.
かくとだに えやはいぶきの さしも草 さしも知らじな もゆる思ひを
I cannot even tell you this much. Like the moxa of Mount Ibuki, you surely do not know how I burn.
あらざらむ この世のほかの 思ひ出に 今ひとたびの 逢ふこともがな
Soon I will be gone. So that I may carry one memory beyond this world, let me meet you once more.
今はただ 思ひ絶えなむ とばかりを 人づてならで 言ふよしもがな
Now there is only this to say — that I give you up — and I wish I could say it myself, not through another.
もろともに あはれと思へ 山桜 花よりほかに 知る人もなし
Mountain cherry, feel for me as I feel for you. Here there is no one who knows me but your blossoms.
瀬をはやみ 岩にせかるる 滝川の われても末に あはむとぞ思ふ
Like a swift stream split by a rock, we are parted now; but I believe we will meet again downstream.
長からむ 心も知らず 黒髪の 乱れてけさは 物をこそ思へ
I do not know whether your heart will last, and this morning my black hair is as tangled as my thoughts.
思ひわび さてもいのちは あるものを 憂きにたへぬは 涙なりけり
Worn down by longing, I find I am still alive after all. It is my tears that cannot bear the grief.
世の中よ 道こそなけれ 思ひ入る 山の奥にも 鹿ぞ鳴くなる
There is no road out of this world. Even deep in the mountains where I fled, a stag is crying.
夜もすがら 物思ふころは 明けやらで 閨のひまさへ つれなかりけり
All night long in this season of brooding, dawn will not come; even the gap in the shutters is unkind.
嘆けとて 月やは物を 思はする かこち顔なる わが涙かな
Is it the moon that tells me to grieve? No. And yet my tears run as though I could blame it.
人もをし 人も恨めし あぢきなく 世を思ふゆゑに 物思ふ身は
I find people dear, and I resent them, because I think this world a bitter, pointless place and brood on it.
Anime & Manga
青春ブタ野郎シリーズ
Rascal Does Not Dream Series
Youth story themed on 'adolescence' syndrome.
痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。
BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.
A well-known work with 思 in its Japanese title.
ネトゲの嫁は女の子じゃないと思った?
And you thought there is never a girl online?
A well-known work with 思 in its Japanese title.
思い出のマーニー
When Marnie Was There
A well-known work with 思 in its Japanese title.
ギルドの受付嬢ですが、残業は嫌なのでボスをソロ討伐しようと思います
I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time
A well-known work with 思 in its Japanese title.
Games
ペルソナシリーズ
Persona Series(1996)
Developer: Atlus
RPG depicting 'adolescent' emotional struggles.
View on Amazon →Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 思 mean in Japanese?
思 means think.
How do you read 思?
On'yomi: シ (SHI). Kun'yomi: おも.う、おもえら.く、おぼ.す (omou, omoeraku, obosu).
How many strokes does 思 have?
思 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 心 (heart).
Is 思 a good kanji for a tattoo?
思 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means think. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:think