1.
to rush, to gallop, to hasten
To move quickly toward a destination, often with a sense of urgency.
現場に馳せる。
To rush to the scene.
知らせを聞いて駆け付けるように馳せた。
Upon hearing the news, I rushed over.
名を馳せる。
To make a name for oneself.
Set expression
2.
to send one's thoughts afar, to let one's mind wander
To direct one's thoughts, imagination, or feelings toward something distant. Most commonly used in the set phrase 思いを馳せる.
故郷に思いを馳せる。
To think fondly of one's hometown.
遠い昔に思いを馳せた。
I let my thoughts wander to the distant past.
被災地の人々に思いを馳せて、寄付を決めた。
Thinking of the people in the disaster area, I decided to donate.
CONJUGATION (ichidan):
- Negative: 馳せない
- Te-form: 馳せて
- Past: 馳せた
- Potential: 馳せられる
COMMON SET PHRASES:
- 思いを馳せる: to send one's thoughts to, think of (the most common usage)
- 名を馳せる: to make a name for oneself, become famous
- 馳せ参じる: to rush to join, hasten to participate
NOTE:
In modern Japanese, sense 2 (思いを馳せる) is far more common than the literal rushing meaning. The word has a literary, somewhat elevated tone.