染み込む・沁み込む・浸み込む・滲み込む|しみこむshimikomu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
染み込むAmong the listed spellings, 染み込む is the most common and the form beginners should use. It is written with kanji and kana.
沁み込む沁み込む is less common than 染み込む, though it is also written with kanji and kana. Treat it as a variant rather than your first choice.
浸み込む浸み込む is rarely used and is written with kanji and kana. Learners should normally choose 染み込む instead.
滲み込む滲み込む is rarely used and is written with kanji and kana. Learners should normally choose 染み込む instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto soak into; to sink into; to seep into; to permeate
- godan verb, intransitive verbto sink into (one's mind); to be (deeply) ingrained; to be instilled; to be embedded; to be impressed
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 染み込む（しみこむ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 染み込みます（しみこみます） |
| Negative (nai) | 染み込まない（しみこまない） |
| polite (masen) | 染み込みません（しみこみません） |
| classical zu / nu | 染み込まず・染み込まぬ（しみこまず・しみこまぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 染み込んだ（しみこんだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 染み込みました（しみこみました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 染み込まなかった（しみこまなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 染み込みませんでした（しみこみませんでした） |
| Te form | 染み込んで（しみこんで） |
| Potential | 染み込める（しみこめる） |
| Passive | 染み込まれる（しみこまれる） |
| Causative | 染み込ませる（しみこませる） |
| Causative passive | 染み込ませられる・染み込まされる（しみこませられる・しみこまされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 染み込めば（しみこめば） |
| tara | 染み込んだら（しみこんだら） |
| Volitional | 染み込もう（しみこもう） |
| polite (mashou) | 染み込みましょう（しみこみましょう） |
| Imperative | 染み込め（しみこめ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymしみるNeutralBroader than 「染み込む」: covers liquid seeping in, but also a wound stinging, cold biting, or something touching your heart; 「染み込む」 stresses soaking in deep.
- Synonym染み渡るしみわたるNeutralSpreading until it reaches every corner, as in 「心に染み渡る」; stresses pervading rather than just soaking in.
- Related浸透しんとうNeutralSino-Japanese term: liquids permeating, and figuratively the spread of ideas or products, as in 「浸透率」.
- Related浸出しんしゅつWrittenWritten/formal prose: extracting by soaking or seeping out; used in chemistry and medicine.
- Related浸入しんにゅうWrittenWritten/formal prose: water and the like getting inside a building, as in 「浸水」; stresses entry rather than soaking deep.
- Antonym抜けるぬけるNeutralAntonym: coming out, falling out, or fading — the reverse of 「染み込む」 soaking in.
- Antonymしみ出るしみでるNeutralSeeping out from inside to the surface — the direction is the reverse of 「染み込む」.
- Antonymにじみ出るにじみでるNeutralSweat and the like oozing out, or feelings showing through naturally; the movement is outward, unlike 「染み込む」.
Use 「染み込む」 for liquids, smells, or habits soaking in deep. For seeping outward say 「しみ出る」 or 「にじみ出る」; for permeating every corner 「染み渡る」; in written prose for penetration use 「浸透」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
