飲
drink, smoke, take
Readings
On'yomi
- イン
- オン
Kun'yomi
- の.む
- -の.み
Meaning
飲 centers on taking something into the body through the mouth: drinking liquids, smoking, or ingesting medicine. The core idea is oral intake.
Most common words using 飲
20 of 187- 飲むのむN5
to drink; to swallow; to take (medicine)
- 飲み物のみものN5
drink; beverage
- 飲食いんしょく
food and drink; eating and drinking
- 飲料いんりょう
beverage; drink
- 飲めるのめる
to be able to drink
- 飲酒いんしゅN3
drinking alcohol
- 飲いん
drinking (sometimes esp. alcohol); drink; drinking party
- 飲み屋のみや
bar; saloon; pub; tavern; drinking establishment
- 飲ますのます
to make (someone) drink; to force to drink; to let drink
- 酒飲みさけのみ
(heavy) drinker; drunkard; tippler; boozer
- 飲み込むのみこむN1
to swallow; to gulp down
- 試飲しいん
sampling a drink; tasting
- 飲み込みのみこみ
swallowing
- 飲用いんよう
drinking
- 愛飲あいいん
drinking habitually; being fond of (a drink)
- 清涼飲料水せいりょういんりょうすい
soft drink
- 水飲みみずのみ
(act of) drinking water
- 飲み食いのみくい
food and drink; eating and drinking
- 飲み干すのみほす
to drink up; to drink to the last drop; to drink (a glass) dry; to drain (one's glass); to empty; to down (a drink)
- 暴飲ぼういん
heavy drinking
Study
Etymology
飲 combines 飠 (food/eat) and 欠 (open mouth), suggesting the act of drinking or taking in through the mouth. The modern form preserves this semantic combination clearly.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 飠 relates to food and eating, and the right side 欠 looks like a person with an open mouth. Together they show someone opening their mouth to drink or take in something.
Reading mnemonic
For イン, imagine drinking a refreshing inn water from a well: inn -> イン, and the open mouth 欠 drinks from the food-related 飠 source.