How to say 'Soak' or 'Sting' in Japanese | 染みる

Wondering how to say 'Soak' or 'Sting' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Soak or Sting is 'Shimiru', written as 染みる in Japanese.'Soak' or 'Sting' in hiragana is しみる.

word

染みる

Meaning

Soak, Sting

Reading

しみる

shimiru

Kanji

染Dye

Explanation

The Japanese verb '染みる (しみる)' has two distinct meanings. The first meaning is 'to soak' or 'to permeate', often used to describe liquids or substances penetrating into something. For example: the rain soaked into the ground「雨が地面に染みた」(あめがじめんにしみた). The second meaning is 'to sting' or 'to smart', often used to describe a sharp, tingling sensation, such as from cold, heat, or emotional pain. For example: the cold wind stung my cheeks「冷たい風が頬に染みた」(つめたいかぜがほおにしみた). The verb can also be used metaphorically, such as when emotions 'soak in' deeply or when criticism 'stings'. Note that the context determines which meaning is intended.

Part Of Speech

verb

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

5053

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting

This word is an ichidan verb. To learn how it transforms in different tenses and forms, explore all its conjugations.

Kanji in the Word 染みる

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

染

Meaning

Dye

Hiragana in the Word 染みる

This word contains 2 Hiragana characters :

hiragana

み

Reading

hiragana

る

Reading

Words Related to 染みる Through the Kanji 染

These 4 Words contain the Kanji 染 as well.

word

感染

Meaning

Infection

word

汚染

Meaning

Pollution

word

染める

Meaning

Dye

word

伝染

Meaning

Infection

Learn the Word 染みる

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What does 'Shimiru' (染みる) mean?

'Shimiru' means 'Soak' or 'Sting' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.