Quick Reference

Meaning & Definition

When Japanese speakers want to share an opinion without sounding blunt or overconfident, 思う (omou) is their go-to verb. The phrase 〜と思う softens almost any statement into a personal feeling rather than a hard fact — a quality deeply embedded in how Japanese communication works.

思う (omou) expresses an intuitive sense, an emotion, or a belief held in the heart. It covers a wide range: suki da to omou (I think I like it), daijōbu da to omou (I believe it’ll be fine), and dō shiyō ka to omotte iru (I’m wondering what to do). The key contrast is with 考える (kangaeru), which describes active, logical reasoning — like working through a problem step by step. 思う is closer to ‘feel’ or ‘believe,’ while 考える is closer to ‘think through’ or ‘deliberate.’ In practice, 〜と思います is one of the most useful sentence-enders in Japanese: it signals that you’re offering a personal view, not stating a universal truth. Casual speech drops the subject entirely — just 〜と思う at the end of a sentence is enough. In formal contexts, 〜と思います or 〜かと思います adds a layer of politeness and tentativeness that Japanese professional culture values.

How to Use It

The most common mistake learners make is using 思う and 考える interchangeably. Reserve 思う for gut feelings, beliefs, and softened opinions (〜と思う). Use 考える when describing deliberate analysis: kaiketsusaku wo kangaeru (to think of a solution). A second pitfall: 思う rarely takes を as its object. You cannot say sore wo omou the way you might in English (‘I think that’). Instead, use the quotation particle と before 思う: sore wa tadashii to omou. Finally, 〜と思っています (progressive form) is useful for ongoing beliefs or plans: raigetsu ikō to omotte imasu (I’m thinking of going next month) — this sounds more decided than 〜と思う alone.

Kanji Breakdown

The kanji 思 is built from two components: 田 on top and 心 (heart/mind) below. The 田 element is historically linked to the fontanelle — the soft spot on a baby’s skull once associated with the seat of thought. Combined with 心, the character conveys ‘a feeling that rises from the heart and mind.’ This dual root explains why 思う covers both thinking and feeling, unlike the more cerebral 考える.

Example Sentences

Cultural Context

〜と思う is one of the structural pillars of indirect communication in Japanese. Rather than asserting 「これが正しい」(This is correct), a speaker will say 「これが正しいと思います」(I think this is correct) — even when quite certain. This is not evasiveness; it is a deliberate softening that leaves room for the listener to disagree without confrontation. The habit is so ingrained that dropping 〜と思う from a sentence can make an opinion sound unexpectedly forceful or rude.

For learners, the 思う / 考える distinction is one of the first real hurdles beyond beginner vocabulary. Both translate to ‘think’ in English, but swapping them changes the register completely. Saying 「解決策を思う」instead of 「考える」sounds unnatural because 思う does not carry the image of deliberate mental work. Conversely, using 考える in place of 思う for expressing a feeling — 「好きだと考える」— comes across as oddly analytical, as if you had run a logical proof to determine your own emotions.

The phrase どう思いますか (What do you think / How do you feel about it?) is a standard way to invite opinions politely in both everyday and professional settings. Its counterpart どう考えますか exists but is more commonly used when asking someone to analyze or evaluate a situation rather than simply share a reaction. Mastering when to reach for 思う versus 考える is a reliable marker of intermediate Japanese fluency.

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