恋しい
koishii[ko̞iɕii]
The English phrase "missing you" can be translated into Japanese as 恋しい (koishii).
恋しい expresses a deep, nostalgic yearning or a romantic longing for a specific person, place or time. Because Japanese often omits the subject and object, simply saying 恋しい can communicate "I miss you."
Which one should you use?
While 恋しい expresses a longing for a specific person or place, the word 寂しい expresses a general feeling of loneliness or sadness caused by someone's absence.
How does it change in a sentence?
恋しい is an i-adjective, meaning it can end a sentence or directly modify a noun. To express that you "missed" someone in the past, change the ending to 恋しかった.
How do you pronounce it?
koishii
Did you know?
- If you want to say you miss a person in a platonic or purely sentimental way, Japanese speakers often prefer 寂しい (sabishii). Using 恋しい for a close friend might actually be misinterpreted as a romantic confession.
- In Japanese culture, the feeling of 恋しい is often associated with mono no aware, a bittersweet awareness of the transience of all things.
- In traditional Japanese poetry like waka, expressing the feeling of 恋しい was often done through metaphors of nature, such as dew or wind, rather than stating the emotion directly.
Examples in context
- 故郷が恋しい。Furusato ga koishii.I miss my hometown.
- 君のことがとても恋しい。Kimi no koto ga totemo koishii.I miss you very much.
- 離れている家族が恋しい。Hanarete iru kazoku ga koishii.I miss my family who are far away.
Example conversation
A long-distance couple is talking on the phone at night.
- 陽太 Yota美咲、君のことが恋しいよ。Misaki, kimi no koto ga koishii yo.Misaki, I miss you.
- 美咲 Misaki私も陽太に会いたい。Watashi mo Yota ni aitai.I want to see you too, Yota.
- 陽太 Yota早く会いたいね。Hayaku aitai ne.I want to see you soon.
- 美咲 Misakiうん、楽しみにしてる。Un, tanoshimi ni shiteru.Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 恋しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
