宿願(しゅくがん)

しゅくがん
noun
long-cherished wish; longtime ambition
formalabstract
1. long-cherished wish; longtime ambition; heartfelt desire
A wish or goal that one has held for a very long time, often implying years of effort or patience toward its fulfillment.
宿願(しゅくがん)を果(は)たす。
To fulfill a long-cherished wish.
宿願(しゅくがん)だったオリンピック出場(しゅつじょう)がついに実現(じつげん)した。
My long-held dream of competing in the Olympics finally came true.
三十年(さんじゅうねん)にわたる宿願(しゅくがん)であった和平(わへい)条約(じょうやく)の締結(ていけつ)が達成(たっせい)された。
The signing of the peace treaty, a goal pursued for thirty years, was achieved.

A compound of 宿(しゅく) (long-standing) and 願(がん) (wish/prayer). A literary, elevated word that emphasizes the depth and duration of a desire. Often used in formal speeches, news articles, and historical writing.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 悲願(ひがん): earnest wish — similar formality but adds a nuance of desperate longing or repeated failed attempts
  • 念願(ねんがん): long-cherished desire — very close in meaning; slightly more common in everyday usage
  • 願望(がんぼう): desire, aspiration — more general and less literary

Related Words

Compare: 悲願(ひがん) (earnest wish)
Compare: 念願(ねんがん) (long-cherished desire)
Compare: 願望(がんぼう) (desire, aspiration)
general
Added 2026.4.7 6:28 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
22500/22664_shukugan