うがい

• 読み: うがい
• ローマ字: ugai
• 漢字の分解: 嗽 (sou/ugai) — gargle; rarely written in kanji
• 発音: /ɯ.ɡa.i/

意味

Gargling. The act of rinsing one's throat with water or mouthwash.

A noun that also functions as a する verb (うがいをする or うがいする, to gargle). An essential daily hygiene habit in Japan, especially during cold and flu season. Japanese children are taught from a young age to gargle and wash hands after coming home (手洗い・うがい). The kanji 嗽 exists but is almost never used. Often paired with 手洗い (handwashing) in health advice.

例文

1. 外から帰ったら手洗いとうがいをしよう。
2. 風邪の予防にうがいは効果がある。
3. 冷たい水でうがいをすると気持ちがいい。

使い方ガイド

場面: health, daily hygiene, medical

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Likely derived from the word 鵜飼い (ukai, cormorant fishing), where trained cormorants swallow and regurgitate fish, resembling the action of gargling. The kanji 嗽 is a medical and literary form.

文化的背景

時代: Edo period

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal