tears, crying

About this kanji

The kanji 涙 (なみだ) primarily means "tears" or "crying." It can be used as a noun, often describing the physical tears that come from our eyes when we are emotional. For instance, in the compound 涙腺 (るいせん), which means "tear gland," it refers to the part of our body that produces tears. Another common usage is in the verb 涙ぐむ (なみだぐむ), meaning "to well up with tears," indicating a moment when tears start to gather in the eyes due to strong feelings. Also, 涙声 (なみだごえ) translates to "tearful voice," often used when someone is speaking while crying. It's interesting to note that while 涙 often relates to sadness, tears can also be shed from happiness.

Built from

Example sentences

• 悲しい映画を見て涙が出た。

  I cried while watching a sad movie.

Meanings across languages

English

tears, crying

Tiếng Việt

nước mắt, khóc

日本語

涙, 泣く

한국어

눈물

中文

眼泪

id

air mata

th

น้ำตา

es

lágrimas

fr

larmes

de

Tränen

pt

lágrimas

Common compounds

• 涙腺るいせんtear gland
• 涙ぐむなみだぐむto well up with tears
• 涙声なみだごえtearful voice