Translation guide
The English word "swallow" has two main meanings: the physical action of swallowing food or drink, and the bird. This guide covers both, with a focus on natural Japanese expressions.
Expressing the physical action of making something go down the throat
The most common and general verb for swallowing. It can be used for food, drink, pills, etc. It also has figurative uses like 'to swallow one's pride' or 'to understand/accept'.
薬を水で飲み込んだ。
I swallowed the medicine with water.
彼はプライドを飲み込んで謝った。
He swallowed his pride and apologized.
Literally 'to drink', but often used for swallowing pills or liquid medicine. It can also mean 'to swallow' in the sense of taking medicine orally. Not used for solid food unless it's something like a pill.
Do not use 飲む for swallowing solid food; use 飲み込む or 食べる instead.
この薬は一日三回飲んでください。
Please take (swallow) this medicine three times a day.
A medical/technical term for swallowing. Used in clinical contexts or formal writing.
嚥下障害の患者には特別な食事が必要だ。
Patients with swallowing difficulties need special meals.
Referring to the small migratory bird with a forked tail
The standard word for the swallow bird. Often written in katakana as ツバメ, but kanji 燕 is also used.
春になるとツバメが巣を作りに来る。
In spring, swallows come to build nests.
The kanji for swallow. Used in literature or formal contexts, but ツバメ is more common in everyday writing.
Expressing gullibility or uncritical acceptance
Literally 'to swallow whole like a cormorant'. Means to accept something without questioning, often used negatively.
彼の話を鵜呑みにしてはいけない。
Don't swallow his story whole.
To take something seriously or believe it as true, often when it's not. Similar to 'swallow' in the sense of believing a lie.
Expressing the act of not saying or showing something
Literally 'to swallow one's words'. Means to hold back what one was about to say.
彼は反論しようとしたが、言葉を飲み込んだ。
He was about to argue, but swallowed his words.
To suppress emotions. While not a direct translation of 'swallow', it conveys the idea of holding back feelings.
彼女は怒りを抑えて冷静に話した。
She swallowed her anger and spoke calmly.
飲み込む (nomikomu) is the general verb for swallowing, while 飲む (nomu) primarily means 'to drink'. Use 飲む for taking liquid medicine or pills, but for swallowing food or other objects, 飲み込む is more appropriate.
When referring to the bird, do not use 飲み込む or any verb related to swallowing. The bird is always ツバメ or 燕.
Swallow nests are said to bring good luck.
冗談を真に受けて怒った。
He swallowed the joke and got angry.