Drink Kanji (飲): Meaning, Reading, and Common Examples
The kanji 飲 (nomu) means “to drink” and is one of the most useful kanji in everyday Japanese. You will frequently see this kanji on menus, vending machines, restaurants, and convenience stores.
Understanding this kanji is especially helpful when traveling in Japan, as it allows you to recognize drinks, beverages, and related expressions quickly.
In addition to its basic meaning, 飲 is used in many compound words that describe different types of drinks and drinking actions.
Below is a list of drink-related kanji and vocabulary that are commonly used in Japanese.
| Kanji | Reading | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
飲 | のむ (nomu) | drink | minum |
飲み物 | のみもの (nomimono) | beverage | minuman |
飲料 | いんりょう (inryou) | drink/beverage | minuman |
飲水 | いんすい (insui) | drinking water | air minum |
飲酒 | いんしゅ (inshu) | drinking alcohol | minum alkohol |
飲食 | いんしょく (inshoku) | food and drink | makan minum |
牛乳 | ぎゅうにゅう (gyuunyuu) | milk | susu |
水 | みず (mizu) | water | air |
お茶 | おちゃ (ocha) | tea | teh |
紅茶 | こうちゃ (koucha) | black tea | teh hitam |
緑茶 | りょくちゃ (ryokucha) | green tea | teh hijau |
冷水 | れいすい (reisui) | cold water | air dingin |
温水 | おんすい (onsui) | warm water | air hangat |
清水 | しみず (shimizu) | pure water | air bersih |
飲み放題 | のみほうだい (nomihoudai) | all-you-can-drink | minum sepuasnya |
一気飲み | いっきのみ (ikkinomi) | drink in one go | minum sekaligus |
飲み過ぎ | のみすぎ (nomisugi) | drink too much | kebanyakan minum |
飲み口 | のみくち (nomikuchi) | drinking spout | mulut botol |
飲用 | いんよう (inyou) | for drinking | untuk diminum |
飲料水 | いんりょうすい (inryousui) | drinking water | air minum |
Why Drink Kanji is Important
The kanji 飲 is used in many everyday situations, especially when ordering drinks or reading menus. Knowing this kanji can make your experience in Japan much easier.
Common Usage in Daily Life
You will often see 飲 in restaurants, vending machines, and signs. For example, 飲み放題 (all-you-can-drink) is very common in Japanese dining culture.
To continue learning, explore our food kanji list, water kanji, and fire kanji.