Definition
To wish for something or to hope that something happens; to pray for a desired outcome.
Example
彼女は毎晩星に願う。
Show translation
She wishes upon a star every night.
Etymology
From Old Japanese 願 (nega-), rooted in the noun 願い (negai, "wish, desire"). The kanji 願 is a compound of 原 (gen, "origin/source") and 頁 (ketsu, "head/page"), suggesting something deeply held at one's core. The verb form 願う has been in continuous use since classical Japanese literature.
Cultural note
願う is central to several beloved Japanese traditions. On Tanabata (七夕, July 7th), people write wishes on strips of paper (短冊, tanzaku) and hang them on bamboo — the verb on every card is 願う. New Year shrine visits (初詣, hatsumode) are another major context where Japanese people 願う for health and good fortune. The date August 6th is also Hiroshima Peace Memorial Day (平和記念日), when people 願う for a world free of nuclear weapons — making this word especially resonant today.