Entry
ごっくん
gokkun
Describes the distinct sound or action of swallowing liquid or food down the throat.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This word represents the specific sound and physical action of swallowing something. It is highly common in child-directed speech, used to encourage or praise babies and small children as they learn to successfully swallow their baby food or medicine.
- Swallowing, gulping
- Child-directed encouragement
Sense Map
Swallowing, gulping
The action of swallowing a drink or food down the throat, often accompanied by a distinct sound.
ごっくんと飲み込む
Child-directed encouragement
Used as a gentle prompt or praise for babies who are learning how to swallow food or medicine.
上手にごっくんできたね
Usage Note
How to Use
ごっくんする
Turns the sound-word into a direct verb meaning 'to swallow' or 'to take a gulp'.
ごっくんと + verb
Used as an adverb to modify a related action verb (like drink or swallow), adding the vivid image of completing a distinct gulp.
SURFACEする
SURFACEと + verb
How to Use
Common Phrases
ごっくんと飲む
to drink with a gulp
ごっくんする
to swallow
ごっくんと飲み込む
to swallow down
上手にごっくん
swallow successfully / good job swallowing
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Taking medicine or eating food | neutral | Emphasizes the moment the solid food or liquid successfully passes the barrier of the throat. |
| Speaking to babies and toddlers | positive | Acts as a gentle, encouraging instruction or a form of warm praise during feeding times. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ごくっ ごくっ / nearby | Used for a single, quick gulping sound, often including swallowing saliva out of nervousness or surprise. | 'Gokkun' places more emphasis on the physical completion of swallowing food or medicine and is very typical in baby talk compared to the quicker 'goku'. | ごくっとつばを飲み込む |
がぶがぶ がぶがぶ / contrast | Used when greedily and continuously drinking large amounts of liquid. | 'Gokkun' focuses on the single act of swallowing, not on the sheer volume of liquid consumed over a period of time. | 水をがぶがぶ飲む |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it to describe chugging a large bottle of water rapidly because you are extremely thirsty.
Use 'gabugabu' for chugging or drinking heavily. 'Gokkun' refers strictly to a single, distinct swallow.
Using it in a formal medical context to discuss a patient's swallowing ability.
It is a casual, child-friendly mimetic word. Formal or medical contexts require standard verbs like 飲み込む (nomikomu) or the formal noun 嚥下 (enge).
Examples
Examples
薬を水でごっくんと飲み込んだ。
くすりをみずでごっくんとのみこんだ。
I swallowed the medicine down with a gulp of water.
LiteralShows the action of medicine successfully passing down the throat.
赤ちゃんが離乳食を上手にごっくんした。
あかちゃんがりにゅうしょくをじょうずにごっくんした。
The baby successfully swallowed their baby food.
LiteralCommon usage when praising a baby learning to swallow solid food.
苦いお茶を、目を閉じてごっくんと飲む。
にがいおちゃを、めをとじてごっくんとのむ。
Gulping down the bitter tea all at once with closed eyes.
LiteralImplies the effort to swallow something unpleasant as quickly as possible.
ゴックンと喉を鳴らしてジュースを飲んだ。
ゴックンとのどをならしてジュースをのんだ。
They drank the juice, making an audible gulping sound in their throat.
LiteralWritten in katakana to highlight the actual sound effect of swallowing.
大きな錠剤はごっくんしにくい。
おおきなじょうざいはごっくんしにくい。
Large pills are hard to swallow down.
LiteralUses the word as a verb meaning the physical process of swallowing.
Similar Words
ごくっ
goku
Used for a quick, single gulping sound, including swallowing saliva as a reflex.
がぶがぶ
gabugabu
Describes the sound or action of drinking large amounts of liquid vigorously and repeatedly. Used when drinking large amounts of liquid continuously and heavily.
ゴクリ
gokuri
The sound or action of swallowing liquid or saliva in a single gulp.
Questions
Is "gokkun" only used for babies?
No, it can be used for adults to describe the clear action or sound of swallowing, like when taking medicine. However, it is an extremely common word in child-directed speech.
Can I use "gokkun" to describe drinking a lot of water?
If it refers to one large, distinct swallow, yes. But if you want to describe continuously drinking large amounts of water at once, it's much more natural to use "gabugabu".
What is the difference between "gokkun" and "nomikomu"?
"Nomikomu" is the standard, neutral verb for swallowing. "Gokkun" is a casual sound-word that specifically emphasizes the auditory sound or the vivid physical sensation of something passing down the throat.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2172340
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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