Translation guide
The act of taking something into the stomach through the throat. In Japanese, the most common word is 飲み込む (nomikomu) for swallowing food or drink, but there are other expressions for different nuances like gulping, swallowing whole, or metaphorical swallowing (e.g., accepting something).
The physical act of making food or liquid pass from the mouth to the stomach.
The most common and general verb for swallowing. It can be used for both food and drink.
薬を水で飲み込んだ。
I swallowed the medicine with water.
よく噛んでから飲み込んでください。
Please chew well before swallowing.
Literally 'to drink', but often implies swallowing liquid. For solid food, 飲み込む is more precise, but 飲む can be used for swallowing pills or small items with liquid.
この薬は一日三回飲んでください。
Please take (swallow) this medicine three times a day.
Medical/technical term for swallowing. Used in healthcare contexts.
嚥下障害がある。
I have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
Swallowing in a hurry, often with a sense of greediness or urgency.
Onomatopoeic expression for gulping down a mouthful, especially liquids.
彼はビールをごくんと飲んだ。
He gulped down the beer.
Drinking/swallowing in large gulps, often used for drinking a lot quickly.
暑かったので、水をがぶがぶ飲んだ。
It was hot, so I gulped down water.
To swallow something whole without chewing. Can be literal or metaphorical (accepting something uncritically).
蛇が卵を丸飲みにした。
The snake swallowed the egg whole.
When something gets stuck or is hard to swallow.
To get stuck in the throat. Describes the sensation of food not going down smoothly.
餅が喉に詰まった。
The mochi got stuck in my throat.
To choke on food or liquid, often with coughing. Not exactly 'swallowing' but related to difficulty.
水を飲んでむせた。
I choked on the water.
To accept something unpleasant, suppress emotions, or believe something without question.
Same verb as physical swallowing, but used metaphorically to mean 'to accept/understand' or 'to suppress (emotions)'.
彼は怒りを飲み込んだ。
He swallowed his anger.
状況を飲み込むのに時間がかかった。
It took time to swallow (accept) the situation.
To swallow something whole (metaphorically), meaning to accept information uncritically. Derived from the cormorant (鵜) swallowing fish whole.
To endure or put up with something, often used when 'swallowing' one's pride or discomfort.
悔しかったが、我慢した。
I was frustrated, but I swallowed it (endured).
飲み込む emphasizes the act of swallowing and the passage through the throat, while 飲む simply means 'to drink' or 'to take (medicine)'. For solid food, use 飲み込む to be clear. For pills, both are common, but 飲む is more casual.
While 飲み込む can be used for suppressing emotions, it's not always natural. For 'swallow one's pride', 我慢する or 自尊心を抑える might be better. Avoid direct translation without checking natural usage.
彼の話を鵜呑みにしてはいけない。
Don't swallow his story whole (don't believe it without question).