1.
dear, beloved, affectionate
Expressing deep fondness and warm affection toward someone. Used formally to address or describe someone one holds dear. Most commonly appears in the set phrase 親愛なる (dear ~), used in letters and speeches.
Common patterns
Common collocations
Usage
Most often used in the fixed pattern 親愛なる, which functions like English 'Dear ~' in letters and speeches. This is a formal and somewhat literary expression. In everyday speech, Japanese does not use direct terms of endearment as frequently as English — 親愛なる sounds deliberate and warm but formal.