飲む・呑む|のむnomu[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
飲む飲む is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners; it is the form to use when you need to write this word.
呑む呑む is a less common kanji-and-kana variant of 飲む; learners will generally want to choose 飲む instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto drink; to swallow; to take (medicine)呑む refers to swallowing whole or gulping down
- godan verb, transitive verbto smoke (tobacco)
- godan verb, transitive verbto swallow up; to engulfusu. in the passive
- godan verb, transitive verbto suppress (one's anger, bitter feelings, etc.); to keep down; to hold back; to swallow (one's tears); to catch (one's breath)
- godan verb, transitive verbto accept (a demand, conditions, etc.); to agree to
- godan verb, transitive verbto make light of (someone); to think nothing of; to overwhelm; to overawe
- godan verb, transitive verbto carry (a concealed dagger, etc.); to conceal (up one's sleeve, etc.)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 飲む（のむ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 飲みます（のみます） |
| Negative (nai) | 飲まない（のまない） |
| polite (masen) | 飲みません（のみません） |
| classical zu / nu | 飲まず・飲まぬ（のまず・のまぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 飲んだ（のんだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 飲みました（のみました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 飲まなかった（のまなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 飲みませんでした（のみませんでした） |
| Te form | 飲んで（のんで） |
| Potential | 飲める（のめる） |
| Passive | 飲まれる（のまれる） |
| Causative | 飲ませる（のませる） |
| Causative passive | 飲ませられる・飲まされる（のませられる・のまされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 飲めば（のめば） |
| tara | 飲んだら（のんだら） |
| Volitional | 飲もう（のもう） |
| polite (mashou) | 飲みましょう（のみましょう） |
| Imperative | 飲め（のめ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym飲み込むのみこむNeutralCovers swallowing food down, and figuratively grasping something or engulfing, as in 「コツを飲み込む」; 「飲む」 is mainly for drinking liquids.
- Synonym飲み下すのみくだすWrittenSwallowing something down, as in 「薬を飲み下す」, stressing getting it into the stomach; slightly bookish in tone.
- RelatedいただくFormalHumble language for 「飲む」 and 「食べる」, as in 「お茶を頂きます」; used on polite occasions.
- Antonym吐くはくNeutralThe opposite of 「飲む」: bringing what you ate or drank back out through the mouth.
- Antonym吐き出すはきだすNeutralAlso the opposite of 「飲む」: expelling what is in the mouth or stomach; can also mean pouring out feelings or spending one's savings.
Use 「飲む」 by default for drinking or taking medicine. Pick 「飲み込む」 for swallowing food down or grasping an idea, 「頂く」 for polite occasions, and 「吐く」 or 「吐き出す」 for bringing something back up.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
