Japanese word

泡

Pronunciation

Romajiawa

Meaning

  • nounbubble

Example

水の中から泡が上がります。mizu no naka ka ra awa ga a ga ri ma su

Bubbles rise from the water.

Illustration for 泡 (bubble)

More examples

コップを置くと、飲み物の泡が少しずつ消えます。ko ppu o o ku to no mi mono no awa ga suko shi zu tsu ki e ma su

When the glass is set down, the foam on the drink gradually disappears.

Core concept

Refers to gas enclosed by a thin liquid film, either as one small sphere or as a mass of such spheres.

Common phrases

  • 泡が立つawa ga ta tsu

    foam forms

  • 泡が出るawa ga de ru

    bubbles appear

  • 泡が消えるawa ga ki e ru

    foam disappears

  • 泡が浮かぶawa ga u ka bu

    bubbles float

Similar words

気泡kihō: A separate bubble of gas within a liquid or solid material, with emphasis on its physical formation.
泡沫hōmatsu: A layer or mass made up of many small bubbles, with a formal or literary tone.

Definition in Japanese

液体の中や表面に生じる、気体を包んだ小さな球状のものや、その集まり。eki tai no naka ya hyō men ni shō ji ru ki tai o tsutsu n da chii sa na kyū jō no mo no ya so no atsu ma ri

Word origin

泡 (awa, "bubble") is a native Japanese word, while the character 泡, meaning "bubble" in Chinese, was adopted to write it.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese drink descriptions, 泡 (awa) can refer to the foam on beer or coffee, not only to a single bubble.

Other meanings

  • foamnoun

Word lists with this word