Onyomi: キュウ · Kunyomi: す.う · Meanings: imbibe, inhale, sip, suck
Kanji for imbibe, inhale, sip, suck
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The kanji 吸 is made from two parts: 口 (mouth) on the left and 久 (long time) on the right. The left part, 口, shows that it involves the mouth. The right part, 久, originally shows something lasting or extended. Together, they create the image of air or liquid being drawn into the mouth — inhaled or sucked in. Over time, 吸 came to mean “to suck,” “to inhale,” or “to breathe in.”
Made from 口(mouth) and 久(long-lasting). It shows drawing something into the mouth — meaning to suck, inhale, or breathe in.
This kanji says: the mouth (口) pulls in air or liquid (久) — 吸 means to suck in or breathe in. Remember it by picturing yourself taking a long, deep breath or sipping through a straw.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 吸収 | きゅうしゅう | absorption, suction, attraction | common JLPT-N3 Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 吸う | すう | to smoke, to breathe in, to inhale | common JLPT-N5 Godan verb with 'u' ending, Transitive verb |
| 吸血鬼 | きゅうけつき | vampire, bloodsucker | common Noun |
| 吸い込む | すいこむ | to inhale, to breathe in, to suck up, to soak up, to absorb | common Godan verb with 'mu' ending, Transitive verb |
| 吸い殻 | すいがら | cigarette end, cigarette butt, tobacco ashes | common Noun |
| 吸い取る | すいとる | to suck up, to absorb, to squeeze (money) | Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Transitive verb |
| 吸い上げる | すいあげる | to suck up, to pump up, to draw up, to absorb, to extract | Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 吸入 | きゅうにゅう | inhalation | Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 吸い取り紙 | すいとりがみ | blotting paper | Noun |
| 吸収合併 | きゅうしゅうがっぺい | merger, takeover | Noun |
| 吸い付ける | すいつける | to attract, to be used to | Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 吸音材 | きゅうおんざい | acoustic material, acoustic absorbent material | Noun |
| 吸収力 | きゅうしゅうりょく | absorbing power | Noun |
| 吸収体 | きゅうしゅうたい | absorbent | Noun |
| 吸着 | きゅうちゃく | adsorption | Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |