noun
lukewarm water; tepid water
Water that is neither hot nor cold; often used for bathing or washing.
ぬるま湯で顔を洗う。
I wash my face with lukewarm water.
風呂の湯がぬるま湯になっていた。
The bath water had become tepid.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Only with reading ぬるまゆ
Figurative use describing a situation or environment that is too comfortable and lacks challenge, often implying complacency or stagnation. Commonly used in phrases like ぬるま湯につかる.
彼はぬるま湯のような職場に甘んじている。
He is content with a comfortable, unchallenging workplace.
ぬるま湯につかっていると成長できない。
If you stay in your comfort zone, you can't grow.
Rare kanji spelling; also read びおんとう or ぬるゆ in some contexts.
Compound of ぬるま (lukewarm) + 湯 (hot water). The reading ぬるまゆ is the most common; alternative readings びおんとう and ぬるゆ are rare and mostly restricted to the kanji spelling 微温湯.