喉

• Reading: のど
• Romaji: nodo
• Kanji breakdown: 喉 (kou/nodo) — throat
• Pronunciation: /no.do/

Meaning

The throat. The front part of the neck, or the passage for food and air.

Commonly appears in the expression 喉が渇く (nodo ga kawaku, to be thirsty, literally 'throat is dry') and 喉が痛い (nodo ga itai, to have a sore throat). While the kanji 喉 exists, the word is very often written in hiragana as のど.

Examples

1. 走った後で喉が渇いた。 I was thirsty after running.
2. 風邪を引いて喉が痛いです。 I caught a cold and my throat hurts.
3. 喉にいい飲み物はありますか。 Is there a drink that's good for your throat?

Usage Guide

Context: health, daily life, weather

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 喉 combines 口 (kuchi, mouth) and 侯 (a phonetic element), representing the passage behind the mouth.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal