JLPT N1 › Conjugation 息を呑む · godan verb (-mu)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 息いき を 呑の む 息いき を 呑の まない Polite 息いき を 呑の みます 息いき を 呑の みません Past polite 息いき を 呑の みました 息いき を 呑の みませんでした Past 息いき を 呑の んだ 息いき を 呑の まなかった Te-form 息いき を 呑の んで 息いき を 呑の まないで Desire 息いき を 呑の みたい 息いき を 呑の みたくない Potential 息いき を 呑の める 息いき を 呑の めない Passive 息いき を 呑の まれる 息いき を 呑の まれない Causative 息いき を 呑の ませる 息いき を 呑の ませない Causative passive 息いき を 呑の ませられる also 息いき を 呑の まされる 息いき を 呑の ませられない also 息いき を 呑の まされない Volitional 息いき を 呑の もう Polite volitional 息いき を 呑の みましょう Imperative 息いき を 呑の め 息いき を 呑の むな Conditional 息いき を 呑の めば 息いき を 呑の まなければ Tara conditional 息いき を 呑の んだら 息いき を 呑の まなかったら
Kanji 息 breath, respiration, son Don't confuse with 息を呑む is a brief, involuntary gasp caused by surprise or awe, whereas 息が詰まる describes a lingering feeling of suffocation or tension, often from social pressure.
息を呑む happens involuntarily in a moment of shock or emotion, while 息を殺す is a deliberate act of holding one's breath quietly, usually to avoid being noticed.
息をのむ means to gasp or hold one's breath in shock or awe, quite different from 息をつく 's meaning of resting or catching one's breath.
Written forms 息いき を 呑の む
Standard kanji spelling; 呑む is a variant of 飲む used in this fixed expression.
息いき をのむ
Common kana-mixed spelling, often used when the kanji 呑 is considered difficult or less familiar.
息いき を 飲の む
Alternate kanji spelling using 飲む ; less common than 呑む in this expression but still seen.
Etymology The expression literally means 'to swallow one's breath,' figuratively describing the involuntary pause in breathing caused by strong emotion. The kanji 呑む is a variant of 飲む (to drink/swallow) often used in idiomatic contexts.
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