A1 Idiom Neutral

喉が渇く

nodo ga kawaku

To be thirsty

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this phrase to express that you need a drink because your throat feels dry.

  • Means: To experience the physical sensation of thirst.
  • Used in: Ordering drinks, complaining about heat, or asking for water.
  • Don't confuse: Do not use 'お腹が空く' (hungry) when you mean thirsty.
Dry throat + Hot weather = Need for water

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means you need water. You use it when you are thirsty.
Use this phrase to tell people you need a drink. It is common in summer or after exercise.
This is a standard expression for physical thirst. It is useful for navigating daily social interactions like suggesting a cafe visit.
This phrase functions as an idiomatic way to express a physiological need. It is essential for social cohesion when suggesting breaks in professional or casual settings.
The phrase demonstrates the Japanese preference for state-based intransitive verbs. It serves as a pragmatic marker for initiating social pauses in a conversation.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, this phrase maps the physical sensation of dryness directly to the linguistic subject. It is a quintessential example of how Japanese encodes bodily states into simple, high-frequency idiomatic structures.

Meaning

To feel the sensation of needing water or a drink.

🌍

Cultural Background

Vending machines are ubiquitous, making this phrase very practical.

💡

Politeness

Always use '渇きました' when speaking to people you don't know well.

Meaning

To feel the sensation of needing water or a drink.

💡

Politeness

Always use '渇きました' when speaking to people you don't know well.

Test Yourself

Fill in the correct verb.

喉が＿＿＿＿。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 渇く

The correct verb for throat dryness is 渇く.

🎉 Score: /1

Frequently Asked Questions

1 questions

No, use 'お腹が空く'.

Related Phrases

🔗

お腹が空く

contrast

To be hungry

Where to Use It

☕

At a Cafe

A: {喉|のど}が{渇|かわ}きましたね。

B: そうですね、{何|なに}か{飲|の}みましょう。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a dry desert (Kawaku) in your throat (Nodo).

Visual Association

A person in a desert holding a water bottle, pointing to their throat.

Story

Ken is walking in the sun. His throat feels like sandpaper. He says, 'Nodo ga kawaku!' He finds a vending machine and buys a cold tea.

Word Web

水飲む暑い自動販売機喉渇く

Challenge

Say this phrase every time you take a sip of water today.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Tener sed

Spanish focuses on the possession of the feeling, Japanese on the state of the body part.

French moderate

Avoir soif

Japanese is more specific about the location of the sensation (the throat).

German moderate

Durst haben

Japanese is more descriptive of the physical process (drying).

Japanese high

喉が渇く

N/A

Arabic low

أنا عطشان (Ana atshan)

Arabic describes the person, while Japanese describes the throat.

Easily Confused

喉が渇く vs お腹が空く

Both describe physical needs.

喉 (throat) = thirst, お腹 (stomach) = hunger.

FAQ (1)

No, use 'お腹が空く'.

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