Japanese word

溶ける

Pronunciation

Romajitokeru

Meaning

  • verbmelt

Example

氷が溶けます。kōri ga to ke ma su

Ice melts.

Illustration for 溶ける (melt)

More examples

砂糖は温かい水に溶けます。sa tō wa atata ka i mizu ni to ke ma su

Sugar dissolves in warm water.

Core concept

Describes a solid or frozen substance losing its separate form and becoming fluid or evenly mixed through heat or contact with a liquid.

Common phrases

  • 水に溶けるmizu ni to ke ru

    dissolve in water

  • 口の中で溶けるkuchi no naka de to ke ru

    melt in your mouth

  • 日差しで溶けるhi za shi de to ke ru

    melt in sunlight

Similar words

とろけるtorokeru: To become very soft and almost liquid when heated, often with a smooth texture.

Definition in Japanese

固体が熱などによって液状になったり、液体中に混じって見えなくなったりする。ko tai ga netsu na do ni yo tte eki jō ni na tta ri eki tai chū ni ma ji tte mi e na ku na tta ri su ru

Word origin

溶ける (tokeru) is a native Japanese -eru verb related to 溶く (toku, "to dissolve or loosen something"); its form presents the change as happening to the substance.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 溶ける (tokeru) can describe ice cream losing its shape, while English usually uses melt rather than dissolve in that situation.

Other meanings

  • dissolveverb
  • thawverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 溶け方tokekataway something meltsnoun

Word lists with this word