suckling child; nursing infant; baby at the breast
Refers specifically to an infant still being breastfed. Often used in literary or slightly old-fashioned contexts; in everyday speech, 赤ちゃん or 乳児 is more common.
彼女は乳飲み子を抱いて避難所に着いた。
She arrived at the shelter carrying a nursing infant.
乳飲み子がいる母親には、十分な栄養が必要だ。
Mothers with suckling children need adequate nutrition.
Standard kanji spelling.
Rarely used kanji form; 呑 is a variant of 飲, and 児 is a variant of 子.
Compound of 乳 (chi, 'milk') + 飲み (nomi, continuative form of 飲む 'to drink') + 子 (go, 'child'). Literally 'milk-drinking child'.