ChiramiN4 kanji · 12 strokes
飲 means drink
飲
飠 food · 欠 an open mouth
飲Memory trick
An open mouth (欠) next to food: to drink.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- drink, smoke, take
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 12
- School grade
- Grade 3 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) のむ nomu
のむ (nomu) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
From Chinese (onyomi) イン in
イン (in) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: オン on
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
飲む のむ · nomu
to drink, to swallow
Built from
- 食 eat
- 欠 lack
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
食 Used in 11 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4欠 Used in 19 kanji
Quick check
What does 飲 mean?
Right: 飲 means drink.Not quite: 飲 means drink.In 飲む, which reading does 飲 use?
Right. 飲む is read のむ (nomu): 飲 takes の, its Japanese reading, with む after it.Not quite. 飲む is read のむ (nomu): 飲 takes の, its Japanese reading, with む after it.