溺れる
Meaning in Englishdrown, be submerged, be absorbed in
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Word context
What it means
What does 溺れる mean? It means to drown, literally in water, and it can also describe being overwhelmed or consumed by something figuratively.
Main meanings
- literal drowning in water
- figurative drowning in emotion or passion
- metaphorically overwhelmed or consumed by a habit or addiction
How to use it
Used in both literal and figurative contexts; in everyday conversation 溺れる describes drowning in water, while in metaphorical uses it pairs with nouns like 恋, 酒, or 欲望 to express being overwhelmed; formal or literary register is common in descriptive prose or medical contexts; casual speech may also appear in vivid expressions.
Variants and close terms
- 水に溺れる (みずにおぼれる) — drowning in water
- 恋に溺れる (こいにおぼれる) — drowning in love
- 酒に溺れる (さけにおぼれる) — drowning in alcohol
Composition
- 溺: water-related meaning of drowning; combines water radical with a phonetic element to convey the idea of being overwhelmed by liquid
Etymology
The kanji 溺 carries the water radical and denotes drowning; combined with the verb ending る it forms a native Japanese verb meaning to drown or be overwhelmed.
Word class
Verb (ichidan)