汲む

• Reading: くむ
• Romaji: kumu
• Kanji breakdown: 汲 (ku) — draw water, scoop
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.mɯ/

Meaning

To draw water; to scoop; to pump. Collecting liquid from a source.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the む row. Primarily used for drawing water from wells, rivers, or other sources (水を汲む). Also used figuratively: 気持ちを汲む (to take someone's feelings into account), 意を汲む (to understand someone's intentions). The figurative use of 'drawing out' someone's deeper meaning is common in business and interpersonal contexts.

Examples

1. 井戸から水を汲んで畑にまいた。 I drew water from the well and sprinkled it on the field.
2. 相手の気持ちを汲むことが大切だ。 It's important to take other people's feelings into consideration.
3. 山の湧き水を汲みに行った。 I went to collect spring water from the mountains.

Usage Guide

Context: rural life, figurative speech, empathy

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 汲 combines 氵(water radical) and 及 (to reach/extend), depicting the act of reaching into water to draw it up.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal