抱きしめたい
dakishimetai
To say "I want to hug you" in Japanese, you use 抱きしめたい (dakishimetai).
This phrase expresses a strong desire to hold someone closely in one's arms. In Japanese, the subject (I) and the object (you) are often omitted when the context makes it clear who is being hugged, so the phrase can stand alone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb 抱きしめる, meaning 'to hug' or 'to embrace', combined with the desiderative suffix -たい, meaning 'want to'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding です to the end of 抱きしめたい makes the expression more polite.
How do you pronounce it?
dakishimetai
Did you know?
- While English speakers often use 'hug' for both friends and lovers, saying 抱きしめたい in Japan is almost exclusively reserved for intense, romantic, or deeply intimate contexts.
- The word しめる (shimeru) in 抱きしめる (dakishimeru) carries the nuance of 'to tighten' or 'to fasten', suggesting a hug that is firm and secure.
- Japanese has another word for hug, ハグ (hagu), which is used more frequently in casual, Western-style greetings, whereas 抱きしめる implies a deeper, more emotional embrace.
Examples in context
- 抱きしめたい。I want to hug you.This sentence is useful for expressing the desire to hug someone.Tatoeba #9944532 by small_snow, translation #9937317 by DJ_Saidez
- 社長、抱きしめたくてたまりません。Boss, I can't bear not to hold you tight.
- 友達、抱きしめたいよ。Friend, I want to hug you.
- 今すぐあなたを抱きしめたい。ima sugu anata o dakishimetai.I want to hug you right now.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Kenta are saying goodbye at the train station.
- 陽葵 Himari行かないで。抱きしめたいよ。ikanaide. dakishimetai yo.Don't go. I want to hug you.
- 健太 Kenta僕もだよ。もう一度だけ。boku mo da yo. mou ichido dake.Me too. Just one more time.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう。大好きだよ。arigatou. daisuki da yo.Thank you. I love you so much.
- 健太 Kenta僕も大好きだよ、陽葵。boku mo daisuki da yo, Hiyori.I love you too, Hiyori.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
