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染み (しみ, shimi) Japanese meaning: stain | Kotomora

染しみ

し

み

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

stain; spot; smudge

usually written using kana alone

A dirty mark or discoloration on a surface, fabric, or object. Often used for stains from food, drink, or dirt.

ワイシャツにコーヒー

の

染し

み

が

つい

た

。

I got a coffee stain on my dress shirt.

この染しみは洗あらっても落おちない。

This stain won't come out even after washing.

2

skin spot; blemish; freckle

usually written using kana alone

A spot or discoloration on the skin, such as age spots, liver spots, or freckles. Often written in kana or katakana in this sense.

See also: 肝斑

年としをとると、顔かおにシミができやすくなる。
As you get older, skin spots tend to appear on your face.
このクリームはシミに効きくらしい。
This cream is said to work on blemishes.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉に染しみができるa stain forms on something
シャツに醤しょう油ゆの染しみができた。
A soy sauce stain formed on the shirt.
顔かおに染しみが出でるskin spots appear on one's face
年ねんを取とると顔かおに染しみが出でやすくなる。
As you get older, spots tend to appear on your face more easily.
染しみが付つくa stain gets on something
テーブルクロスにワインの染しみが付ついてしまった。
A wine stain got on the tablecloth.
染しみを消けすto erase/fade a skin spot
美び容ようクリームで染しみを消けしたい。
I want to fade the skin spots with a beauty cream.
染しみを取とるto remove a stain
この洗せん剤ざいで染しみを取とることができる。
You can remove the stain with this detergent.

Expressions

染しみを付つけるstain; blot; smudge
知しらぬ仏ほとけより馴な染じみの鬼おにbetter the devil you know than the devil you don't
知しらぬ神かみより馴な染じみの鬼おにbetter the devil you know than the devil you don't; a familiar ogre is better than an unknown god

Kanji

染dye, color, paint

Related words

汚よごれN3sense 1
汚れ is the general word for dirt or grime, while 染み specifically refers to a stain that has soaked in and left a mark.
そばかす sense 2
そばかす refers specifically to freckles, while 染み covers a broader range of skin spots including age spots and liver spots.

Don't confuse with

肝かん斑ぱん sense 2
肝斑 is the specific medical term for chloasma/melasma, whereas 染み is the everyday word covering any kind of skin spot or blemish.
染そめ
染め (そめ) means the act of dyeing, while 染み (しみ) is an unwanted stain or blotch; they share the kanji 染 but have different readings and meanings.

Counted with

個こN5
The all-purpose counter for small discrete objects, used when no more specific counter applies.
箇か所しょN2
A native speaker might also count visible stains as individual spots/places, though 個 is more natural for everyday counting.

Word family· 11

馴な染じみ
familiarity; intimacy; acquaintance
おなじみ
familiar; well-known; regular · old acquaintance; old friend; regular
しみるN2
soak into; permeate; seep through; penetrate · sting; smart; irritate; bite with cold · be steeped in; be influenced by; be tainted by · feel keenly; sink into one's heart; make a deep impression; be deeply moved
染しみ渡わたる

Written forms

染しみUsage17%
Kanji spelling; commonly used for stains on objects and fabrics.
シミUsage52%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is often used for skin spots (e.g., in cosmetics).
しみUsage31%
Kana spelling is very common for both senses, especially for skin spots.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 染みる (しみる, 'to soak in, to stain'). The noun form refers to the resulting mark left by something that has soaked in.

permeate; soak through; spread throughout

染しみ込こむN2

soak into; seep into; permeate · sink in (mentally); be ingrained; be instilled

Show 6 more

染しみ入いる
soak into; seep into; permeate
染しみ付つく
become ingrained; become embedded; permeate · become second nature; become a deeply ingrained habit
染しみ出だし
seepage; oozing out
染しみ出だす
ooze out; seep out
染しみ抜ぬき
stain removal
染しみ透とおる
soak through; permeate · be deeply impressed; sink in emotionally