Translation guide
The act of swallowing something quickly and in large amounts, often with a sense of urgency or greed. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for drinking or eating in a hurried, noisy manner.
To express the action of drinking a liquid in large, fast gulps, often producing a gulping sound.
A common onomatopoeic expression for gulping down a drink, emphasizing the sound and speed. Used for water, beer, etc.
彼はビールをがぶがぶ飲んだ。
He gulped down the beer.
Another onomatopoeic word for gulping, often implying a refreshing or satisfying drink. Slightly less forceful than がぶがぶ.
冷たい水をごくごく飲んだ。
I gulped down the cold water.
Literally 'drink in one breath', meaning to down a drink in one go. Often used for chugging or finishing a drink quickly.
彼はコップの水を一気に飲んだ。
He gulped down the glass of water in one go.
A noun form of がぶがぶ飲む, often used in casual speech. Can sound a bit rough or masculine.
暑いから、がぶ飲みしちゃった。
It was hot, so I gulped it down.
To describe swallowing food in large, hurried mouthfuls, often without chewing properly.
An onomatopoeic expression for eating greedily and quickly, like a starving person. Implies a lack of manners.
彼はハンバーガーをがつがつ食べた。
He wolfed down the hamburger.
Literally 'swallow whole', meaning to gulp down food without chewing. Can be used metaphorically for accepting something uncritically.
蛇がネズミを丸飲みにした。
The snake gulped down the mouse whole.
Onomatopoeia for munching or chomping, often used for eating with gusto. Less about swallowing whole and more about the chewing sound.
子供がお菓子をむしゃむしゃ食べている。
The child is munching on snacks.
To express the act of gulping due to fear, anxiety, or physical difficulty, often with a visible throat movement.
The adverb ごくりと mimics the sound of a single, audible gulp, often from tension or fear. Used with 飲み込む (swallow).
彼は緊張して、ごくりと唾を飲み込んだ。
He gulped nervously.
Literally 'swallow one's breath', meaning to gasp or catch one's breath from surprise or fear. Not a literal gulp of liquid, but a similar throat action.
その光景に息をのんだ。
I gulped at the sight.
Both are onomatopoeic adverbs for gulping drinks. がぶがぶ implies a more rapid, less controlled, and often louder gulping, while ごくごく suggests a steady, refreshing drink. がぶがぶ can sound a bit rough, whereas ごくごく is more neutral.
彼は水をがぶがぶ飲んだ。
He gulped the water noisily.
彼女はお茶をごくごく飲んだ。
She drank the tea with satisfying gulps.
English 'gulp down' can be translated directly as 飲み込む (のみこむ), but this verb alone means 'swallow' without the sense of speed or sound. To convey the full meaning, use onomatopoeic adverbs like がぶがぶ or ごくごく, or phrases like 一気に飲む.