興味(きょうみ)

きょうみ
noun
interest (in something)
emotioncognition
1. interest (in something)
Curiosity or attention directed toward something.
音楽(おんがく)に興味(きょうみ)がある。
I'm interested in music.
〜に興味(きょうみ)がある pattern
日本(にほん)の歴史(れきし)に興味(きょうみ)を持(も)った。
I became interested in Japanese history.
あの映画(えいが)のポスターに興味(きょうみ)を引(ひ)かれた。
I was drawn to that movie's poster.
興味(きょうみ)を引(ひ)く = to attract interest
友達(ともだち)に勧(すす)められて興味(きょうみ)を持(も)ったが、やってみたら本当(ほんとう)に面白(おもしろ)かった。
A friend recommended it and I got interested, and when I tried it, it was really fun.
子供(こども)の頃(ころ)は虫(むし)にしか興味(きょうみ)がなかったが、大(おお)きくなってからは色々(いろいろ)なことに興味(きょうみ)を持(も)つようになった。
When I was a child I was only interested in insects, but as I grew up I became interested in many things.

興味(きょうみ) means 'interest' in the sense of curiosity — the pull something exerts on your attention. It is a noun, so English 'I'm interested in X' becomes Xに興味(きょうみ)がある, literally 'interest in X exists.' Note the particle: the thing you are interested in takes に, not を.

Key patterns

Note: 興味(きょうみ) is interest as curiosity, not financial interest (利子(りし)/利息(りそく)).

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 関心(かんしん) is close in meaning but more serious and public: you have 関心(かんしん) in social or political matters that concern you, and 興味(きょうみ) in things that simply attract you. 関心(かんしん) is also the more written, formal of the two.
  • 好奇心(こうきしん) is 'curiosity' as a disposition — the trait that makes a person want to find out — rather than interest in one particular thing.
  • 趣味(しゅみ) is a hobby, something you actually do; 興味(きょうみ) is only the attraction, and need not lead to any activity.

Related Words

Synonym: 関心(かんしん) (formal)
Related: 好奇心(こうきしん) (curiosity as a trait)
Related: 趣味(しゅみ) (hobby)
Related: 興趣(きょうしゅ) (interest)
Compare: 面白(おもしろ)さ (fun)
core
Added 2026.1.8 21:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02
01000/01316_kyoumi