The Meaning of tanomoshii [頼もしい] In Japanese

頼もしい
たのもしい
Romaji: tanomoshii N3

What does 頼もしい mean?

Translation and Meaning

reliable, dependable, trustworthy, promising

Definition

What does 頼もしい mean? It means that someone or something inspires confidence; dependable; capable of being relied on; reassuring. It is used to describe people or situations that give confidence and suggest that support, competence, or help will come when needed.

Type

adjective (形容詞, i-adjective)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • reliable and dependable in character or performance
  • reassuring or hopeful regarding outcomes of a plan or proposal
  • descriptive of a person whose actions inspire trust in others

Etymology

From the verb tanomu, with the adjectival suffix -shii forming the i-adjective that marks a quality expressed as a property of the subject.

Composition

  • 頼: to rely on, to trust
  • もしい: adjectival suffix turning the stem into an i-adjective

Usage

Used in both casual and formal Japanese to describe people, plans, services, or evidence that inspire confidence. In conversation, it praises someone’s reliability or capability; in writing, it evaluates the dependability of a proposal, teamwork, or an outcome. It often accompanies nouns such as a person, plan, or object that you can trust or rely on.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: visualize a sturdy rope labeled with the kanji root for rely and the -しい suffix, reminding you that the word conveys a quality of being someone you can count on.

Variations

  • 信頼できる (shinrai dekiru) — reliable
  • 頼りになる (tayori ni naru) — dependable
  • 頼りない (tayorinai) — unreliable

Example Phrases

  • 新しい部活のコーチは頼もしい存在だ。
    Atarashii bukatsu no kōchi wa tanomoshii sonzai da.
    The new club coach is a reliable presence.
    Lista:
    • 新しい (atarashii) – direct translation in en
    • 部活 (bukatsu) – direct translation in en
    • の (no) – direct translation in en
    • コーチ (kōchi) – direct translation in en
    • は (wa) – direct translation in en
    • 頼もしい (tanomoshii) – direct translation in en
    • 存在 (sonzai) – direct translation in en
    • だ (da) – direct translation in en
    In this sentence, 「頼もしい」 is an i-adjective describing 存在 and is used predicatively with だ to mean “is a reliable presence.”
頼もしい