飲む

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 毎日水を飲みます。▶ —
   I drink water every day.
2. コーヒーを飲みませんか。▶ —
   Won't you have some coffee?

Collocations

Mnemonic

Nomu — 飲む, to drink. Stem "no" + godan ending "mu." The kanji 飲 is Korean "eum" (eumryo, drink). A cultural turn: in Japanese, medicine is also 飲む — "drunk," not "eaten." Different from English "take medicine" or Korean "yageul meokda." Liquid or pill, anything entering the mouth uses this verb.

Quick check

1. How do you say "to take medicine" in Japanese?

   • 薬を飲む kusuri o nomu (correct)
   • 薬を食べる (literal "eat", unnatural)
   • 薬をとる (somewhat OK but uncommon)
   • 薬を入れる (= "put in medicine", wrong)