飲 means “drink”

のむ · nomu

Also: smoke, take

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

のむ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

イン, オン

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 3 · 12 strokes

The story

From sake rituals to tea ceremonies, drinking is ceremony, social bond, and ancient tradition.

Paired with rice and water, shows sustenance and life

Its parts

• 食 Food/eat · Left side
• 欠 Yawn/lack · Right side

Opening your mouth (欠) for food (食): to drink

Words with 飲

• 飲食 (いんしょく, inshoku): food and drink
• 飲料 (いんりょう, inryou): beverage

Example sentences

• 何を飲みますか。 What will you drink?
• お茶を飲みましょう。 Let's have some tea.

Kanji that look like 飲

• 食 (eat / food): 飲 adds 欠 (yawn/lack): opening your mouth to drink vs eat

More from Food & Dining

• 茶 tea
• 麺 noodles
• 油 oil
• 酢 vinegar
• 酒 alcohol
• 辛 spicy
• 料 cooking
• 米 rice
• 食 eat
• 魚 fish
• 肉 meat
• 汁 soup

Learn 飲 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.