冷やす

§ What does 冷やす (hiyasu) mean?

The Japanese verb 冷やす (ひやす, hiyasu) means 'to cool' or 'to chill'. It describes the action of making something colder. You'll hear and see this word used in a lot of everyday situations, especially when talking about food, drinks, or even yourself.

DEFINITION

To cool; to chill.

Think of it as the opposite of 温める (あたためる, atatameru), which means 'to warm up'. If you want to make something cold, you use 冷やす. If you want to make something warm, you use 温める. Simple, right?

§ When do people use 冷やす (hiyasu)?

You'll use 冷やす in many different contexts. Here are some common situations:

• Food and drinks: This is probably the most frequent use. If you want to cool down a drink, some fruit, or a dessert, 冷やす is the word you need.
• Body parts: If you hurt yourself, like spraining an ankle, you might want to cool down the affected area to reduce swelling. In this case, you would also use 冷やす.
• Electronics: Sometimes, electronic devices can overheat. You might talk about needing to cool them down with 冷やす.
• Nerves/excitement: In a more figurative sense, 冷やす can be used to describe calming down or 'cooling off' your emotions, although this is less direct than its literal meaning.

§ Examples of 冷やす (hiyasu) in action

Let's look at some practical examples to help you understand how to use 冷やす in sentences.

(Bīru o reizōko de hiyashite kudasai.)
Please cool the beer in the refrigerator. (Hint: 'Bīru' is beer, 'reizōko' is refrigerator.)

(Natsu wa sōmen o hiyashite tabemasu.)
In summer, we eat somen (thin noodles) chilled. (Hint: 'Natsu' is summer, 'sōmen' are thin noodles, 'tabemasu' means to eat.)

(Atama o hiyashite, ochitsuite kangaemashō.)
Let's cool our heads and think calmly. (Hint: 'Atama' is head, 'ochitsuite' means calmly, 'kangaemashō' means let's think.) This is an example of the more figurative use, meaning 'calm down'.

(Kega o shita tokoro ni kōri de hiyashimashita.)
I cooled the injured area with ice. (Hint: 'Kega' means injury, 'tokoro' means place, 'kōri' means ice.)

As you can see, 冷やす is a very versatile and commonly used verb. By understanding its core meaning and practicing with examples, you'll be able to use it naturally in your Japanese conversations.

§ 冷やす (ひやす): To cool; to chill

Japanese Word

冷やす (ひやす)

Definition

To cool; to chill. This is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object. You *cool something*.

CEFR Level

B1

Understanding 冷やす (ひやす) is important, but it's even more useful to know how it differs from other Japanese words that also mean 'to cool' or 'to get cold.' This helps you pick the right word every time.

§ 冷やす vs. 冷える (ひえる)

The most common pair people get confused by is 冷やす (ひやす) and 冷える (ひえる).

• 冷やす (ひやす): Transitive. *You* cool something down. This is the word you use when you are actively trying to make something colder.
• 冷える (ひえる): Intransitive. Something *gets cold* on its own, or because of external conditions, without a direct agent making it cold.

Think of it this way:

You use 冷やす when you're putting something in the fridge, adding ice, or using an air conditioner to make a room cooler. You use 冷える when you notice something has become cold naturally or due to circumstances.

§ 冷やす vs. 冷ます (さます)

Another pair that can cause confusion is 冷やす (ひやす) and 冷ます (さます).

• 冷やす (ひやす): To cool something down, often to a noticeably cold temperature. This often implies bringing something to a refreshing or very low temperature.
• 冷ます (さます): To cool down something that was hot, usually to room temperature or just cool enough to handle or eat. This is about reducing heat, not necessarily making it cold.

Consider these examples:

You'd use 冷ます for things like cooling down soup before you eat it, or letting a hot drink cool a bit. You use 冷やす for drinks you want to be properly cold, or for cooling an injured body part with an ice pack.

§ When to use 冷やす

Use 冷やす when:

• You are actively making something colder.
• You want something to be refreshingly cold (like a drink).
• You are applying something cold to an injury (e.g., an ice pack).
• You are cooling down your head or body to prevent overheating.

This last example shows a common idiomatic use: to 'cool one's head' means to calm down or think rationally when upset. It's a direct action taken by the person.