忌いむ

い

む

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

avoid; refrain from; shun

Used for deliberately staying away from something considered taboo, unlucky, or undesirable. Often appears in set phrases like 忌むべき (abominable).

不ふ吉きつな言こと葉ばを忌いむ文ぶん化かもある。
Some cultures avoid unlucky words.
彼かれは争あらそいを

忌い

ん

で

、

いつも

穏おだ

やか

に

話はな

す

。

He shuns conflict and always speaks gently.

2

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

detest; abhor

Only when written 忌む / 諱む

Stronger emotional aversion than sense 1; implies loathing or deep dislike. Restricted to kanji 忌む and 諱む.

彼かれは不ふ正せいを忌いむ性せい格かくだ。
He has a personality that detests injustice.

Written forms

忌いむUsage77%
Standard kanji spelling for both senses.
いむUsage23%
諱いむ
Rare variant; primarily used for the 'detest' sense.
斎いむ
Rare variant; primarily used for the 'avoid' sense.

Kanji

忌mourning, abhor, detestable
斎purification, Buddhist food, room
諱posthumous (real) name

Similar words

避さける
避ける is a more general and common word for 'avoid', while 忌む carries a nuance of taboo or moral aversion.
嫌きらう
嫌う is a common word for 'dislike' or 'hate', whereas 忌む is stronger and often used in formal or literary contexts.

Etymology

The verb 忌む is native Japanese, related to the concept of ritual purity and avoidance of defilement. The kanji 忌 carries meanings of mourning, abhorrence, and taboo. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.