ゴム

ゴ

ム

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

gum; rubber

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the material rubber or gum, including natural and synthetic types.

from Dutch gom

このボールはゴムでできている。

This ball is made of rubber.

輪わゴムをください。

Please give me a rubber band.

2

noun

eraser

abbreviationusually written using kana alone

Abbreviation of 消しゴム; common in everyday speech.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉はゴムでできているfor something to be made of rubber
このボールはゴムでできている。
This ball is made of rubber.
ゴムで消けすto erase (something) with a gum/eraser
間ま違ちがえた字じをゴムで消けした。
I erased the wrong character with an eraser.
ゴムのように伸のびるto stretch like rubber
このバンドはゴムのように伸のびる。
This band stretches like rubber.

Kanji

護safeguard, protect
謨plan, deliberate

Related words

ラバー sense 1
ゴム is the everyday Japanese word for rubber material in general, while ラバー is a more technical loanword often used for specific rubber products like shoe soles or sporting equipment.
ラテックス
ゴム is the general word for rubber in any form, while ラテックス specifically refers to the raw liquid latex or its synthetic emulsion before it becomes solid rubber.
バルカンラバー
ゴム is the general word for rubber, while バルカンラバー specifically refers to rubber that has been vulcanized for greater strength and elasticity.

Don't confuse with

消けしゴムN5sense 2
ゴム used alone is a casual shortening that can mean 'eraser', while 消しゴム is the full, unambiguous word for 'eraser'.
輪わゴムN1sense 1
ゴム refers to the rubber material broadly, whereas 輪ゴム specifically means a rubber band, a distinct object made from that material.

Written forms

ゴムUsage100%
Standard katakana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
護謨ごむUsage<1%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji kanji form; rarely used.

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch 'gom' (gum, rubber). The ateji spelling 護謨 is phonetic and rarely used.

ガム

N3

ゴム is the standard word for rubber as a material, whereas ガム in its rubber sense is rare and usually appears only in compounds; the two also sound similar, which can trip up learners.