噛む
kamu[ka̠mɯ̟]
To chew in Japanese is 噛む (kamu). Wiktionary also lists 咀嚼する (soshaku suru).
Meaning: to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 噛む | kamu | [ka̠mɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 咀嚼する | soshaku suru |
The verb 噛む is used to describe the act of crushing food with one's teeth prior to swallowing. Depending on the context, it can also mean 'to bite'.
Which one should you use?
While 噛む is the standard everyday word for 'to chew', 咀嚼する is a formal, technical or medical term used to mean 'to chew' (masticate).
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 噛む is 噛んだ (chewed/bit), and the negative form is 噛まない (not chew/not bite).
How do you pronounce it?
kamu
Did you know?
- The verb 噛む can be used metaphorically to mean making a mistake while speaking, much like an English speaker might 'bite' a word. If you trip over your tongue during a speech, you might say you 噛んだ.
- In Japanese, the phrase 噛み砕く (kami-kudaku) means 'to chew into pieces', but it is frequently used as a metaphor for explaining a complex topic in simple terms.
- The word 噛む is a doublet of 醸む (kamu), which means 'to brew' or 'to ferment'.
Examples in context
- 噛むと痛いですか。Does it hurt when you chew?This sentence is useful for asking if chewing causes pain using 噛む.Tatoeba #226227 by bunbuku, translation #63567 by CK
- 授業中にガムを噛むな。Don't chew gum in class.This sentence is useful for giving a command not to chew gum in class using 噛む.Tatoeba #11897931 by small_snow, translation #10069281 by espamatics
- 歯医者さんに、シュガーレスのガムを噛むようにと勧められた。My dentist recommend that I chew sugarless gum.This sentence is useful for describing a dentist's recommendation to chew sugarless gum using 噛む.Tatoeba #11640034 by small_snow, translation #11640030 by CK
- 私は食べ物をよく噛みます。I chew my food well.
- 大切なクライアントとの会食で、彼はゆっくりと噛んでいた。During the important client dinner, he was chewing slowly.
- あのキャンディーはよく噛まないと危ないよ。It's dangerous if you don't chew that candy well.
- 友達とおしゃべりしながら食べると、ちゃんと噛めないことがあるよね。When eating while chatting with friends, sometimes you can't chew properly, right?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are eating lunch together.
- 美咲 Misakiゆっくり噛むと、味がよくわかりますよ。Yukkuri kamu to, aji ga yoku wakarimasu yo.If you chew slowly, you can taste the flavor better.
- 陽太 Yota確かに。この野菜、すごく甘いね。Tashikani. Kono yasai, sugoku amai ne.You're right. This vegetable is really sweet.
- 美咲 Misakiもっとしっかり噛んで食べてください。Motto shikkari kande tabete kudasai.Please chew your food more thoroughly.
- 陽太 Yotaわかったよ。気をつけるね。Wakatta yo. Ki o tsukeru ne.I got it. I'll be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chew” translations and entries 噛む, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 噛む, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
