Japanese word

飲み込む

Pronunciation

Romajinomikomu

Meaning

  • verbswallow

Example

薬を水で飲み込みます。kusuri o mizu de no mi ko mi ma su

I swallow the medicine with water.

Illustration for 飲み込む (swallow)

More examples

熱いものは、無理に飲み込まないでください。atsu i mo no wa mu ri ni no mi ko ma na i de ku da sa i

Please do not force yourself to swallow hot food.

Core concept

Describes sending food, liquid, or medicine from the mouth into the stomach through the throat.

Common phrases

  • 唾を飲み込むtsuba o no mi ko mu

    swallow saliva

  • 一気に飲み込むik ki ni no mi ko mu

    swallow in one gulp

Similar words

飲み下すnomikudasu: To swallow food or medicine down the throat, emphasizing its passage into the stomach.

Definition in Japanese

食べ物や薬などを口から喉の奥へ送り、胃に入れる。ta be mono ya kusuri na do o kuchi ka ra nodo no oku e oku ri i ni i re ru

Word origin

The native Japanese compound 飲み込む (nomikomu) joins 飲む (nomu, "drink or swallow") with 込む (komu, "enter or put into"), giving the sense of taking something fully inside.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 飲み込む (nomikomu) is used for swallowing a pill with water, while English usually uses "swallow" rather than "drink" for the medicine itself.

Other meanings

  • gulp downverb

Opposites

  • 吐き出すhakidasuspit outverb

Related words

  • 飲み込みnomikomiswallowingnoun

Word lists with this word