Skip to content
Japanese Versatility List

Trust and respect

Core words, Stage 2chunk 17 of 80Verbs: dealing with people

Lets you say who you trust, respect and admire.

Mix-ups Shin'you trusts a word or record, shinrai a person; sonkei is respect, akogareru is admiring from afar.

shin'you suru

polite shin'you shimasu

trust, believe; credit

Mostly shin'you dekiru / dekinai (can / can't trust) and 'Shin'you shite' (Trust me).

Shin'you is trusting someone's word or track record; shinrai is deeper trust in the person.

casual

ano hito no koto, mada shin'you dekinai.

I still can't trust that person.

あの人のこと、まだ信用できない。

polite

ano hito no koto wa, mada shin'you dekimasen.

I still can't trust that person.

あの人のことは、まだ信用できません。

Written 信用する · しんようする · 信用しますRank #1395 in 3,030 TV dramas

shinrai suru

polite shinrai shimasu

trust, rely on

Deep trust in someone's character or ability, usually in -te iru.

The noun is common too: 'shinrai o ushinau' (lose someone's trust).

casual

kare no koto wa shinrai shiteru kara daijoubu.

I trust him, so it's fine.

彼のことは信頼してるから大丈夫。

polite

kare no koto wa shinrai shite imasu kara, daijoubu desu.

I trust him, so it's fine.

彼のことは信頼していますから、大丈夫です。

Written 信頼する · しんらいする · 信頼しますRank #1507 in 3,030 TV dramas

sonkei suru

polite sonkei shimasu

respect, look up to

Usually in -te iru: 'sonkei shite iru'.

Sonkei is respect for someone you know; akogareru is admiring from a distance.

casual

chichi no koto, hontou ni sonkei shiteru.

I really look up to my dad.

父のこと、本当に尊敬してる。

polite

chichi no koto wa hontou ni sonkei shite imasu.

I truly look up to my father.

父のことは本当に尊敬しています。

Written 尊敬する · そんけいする · 尊敬しますRank #1840 in 3,030 TV dramas

akogareru

polite akogaremasu

look up to, admire; long for

The person or thing takes ni; often a dream of being like someone or living somewhere.

The noun akogare is someone or something you dream of; it can be crush-like admiration.

casual

kodomo no koro, pairotto ni akogareteta.

As a kid, I dreamed of being a pilot.

子供の頃、パイロットに憧れてた。

polite

kodomo no koro, pairotto ni akogarete imashita.

As a child, I dreamed of being a pilot.

子供の頃、パイロットに憧れていました。

Written 憧れる · あこがれる · 憧れますRank #2118 in 3,030 TV dramas