溶ける

• Reading: とける
• Romaji: tokeru
• Kanji breakdown: 溶 (you/to) — melt, dissolve
• Pronunciation: /to.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To melt; to thaw; to dissolve. The process of a solid becoming liquid or blending into a solution.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb conjugated by dropping る (溶けない, 溶けます). Covers physical melting (ice, chocolate), thawing (frozen food), and dissolving (sugar in water). The transitive pair is 溶かす (to melt/dissolve something). Also used figuratively: 緊張が溶ける (tension dissolves).

Examples

1. アイスクリームが暑さで溶けてしまった。 The ice cream melted in the heat.
2. 砂糖がお湯にすぐ溶ける。 Sugar dissolves quickly in hot water.
3. 春になって雪がだんだん溶けてきた。 The snow has been gradually melting now that spring is here.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, science, weather

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 溶 combines 氵 (water radical) and 容 (contain/form), suggesting a substance losing its form and becoming liquid.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal