1.
to think longingly of; to let one's thoughts turn to; to reflect on
To direct one's thoughts toward something distant — a faraway place, a person, the past, or the future. A literary expression suggesting thoughtful, often wistful contemplation.
故郷に思いを馳せる。
To think longingly of one's hometown.
遠く離れた家族に思いを馳せた。
I let my thoughts turn to my family far away.
古代の人々の暮らしに思いを馳せながら、遺跡を歩いた。
I walked through the ruins, reflecting on the lives of ancient people.
A literary expression meaning to let one's thoughts reach out to something distant. 馳せる literally means "to gallop" or "to run," so the image is of one's thoughts racing off to a distant place or time.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- ～に思いを馳せる: to think longingly of ~
- 過去に思いを馳せる: to reflect on the past
- 未来に思いを馳せる: to think about the future
REGISTER:
A somewhat literary and elevated expression. In everyday conversation, 思い出す (to remember) or ～のことを考える (to think about) would be more natural. 思いを馳せる adds a contemplative, poetic quality.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 懐かしむ: to feel nostalgic about — focuses on the warm feeling of nostalgia
- 偲ぶ: to remember fondly, to reminisce — often used about deceased people or lost things