飲: the kanji for drink
飲 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means drink. Below are its readings, 9 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
飲 is written in 12 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
飲 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 9 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
イン (in)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 飲食いんしょく · inshoku | eating and drinking |
| 飲料いんりょう · inryō | beverage |
| 飲食店いんしょくてん · inshokuten | restaurant |
| 飲酒いんしゅ · inshu | drinking (alcohol) |
のむ (nomu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 飲むのむ · nomu | to drink; to take (medicine) |
| 飲み物のみもの · nomimono | drink |
| 飲み会のみかい · nomikai | drinking party |
| 飲み放題のみほうだい · nomihōdai | all you can drink |
| 飲み水のみみず · nomimizu | drinking water |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- お飲み物はいかがですか。O-nomimono wa ikaga desu ka.Would you like something to drink?
- この薬は食後に飲んでください。Kono kusuri wa shokugo ni nonde kudasai.Please take this medicine after meals.
- 飲み会は二時間の飲み放題です。Nomikai wa nijikan no nomihōdai desu.The party is two hours of all-you-can-drink.
- 館内での飲食はご遠慮ください。Kannai de no inshoku wa go-enryo kudasai.Please refrain from eating and drinking inside the building.
- 飲食店を経営しています。Inshokuten o keiei shite imasu.I run a restaurant business.
- 飲酒運転は法律で禁止されています。Inshu unten wa hōritsu de kinshi sarete imasu.Drunk driving is prohibited by law.
Questions about 飲
How many strokes does 飲 have?
飲 is written in 12 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 飲?
The on readings are in (イン). The kun readings are nomu (のむ).
Do you have to drink alcohol at a Japanese 飲み会?
No. It is fine to order soft drinks. Say お酒は飲めないので、ウーロン茶をお願いします (o-sake wa nomenai node, ūroncha o onegai shimasu), "I don't drink, so oolong tea, please."
What JLPT level is 飲?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Food, animals and nature
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 飲
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.