Namida is the Japanese word for ‘tear’ or ‘tears’, explained

What does “namida” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “namida” to mean ‘tear’ or ‘tears’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is often used in Japanese movies, songs, novels, manga, anime, and the like. In this blog post, however, I will explain it in detail with its kanji expressions. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “namida” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “namida”
• Namida in kanji
  • Example #1: how to say “tears” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “namida”
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “namida”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “namida”.

• namida – 涙/泪 (なみだ) : a noun meaning ‘tear’ or ‘teardrop’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.

Native speakers use this noun to refer to a drop or drops coming out of someone’s eye.

Its definition and meanings are simple and clear, but it has two different kanji expressions. To understand them more clearly, let me explain them in detail, one by one.

Namida in kanji

Strictly speaking, “namida” has three different kanji expressions, but one of them is not common today. So, let me explain the other two:

• 涙 : a kanji character composed of two different parts. The left one is a basic radical expressing ‘water’; the right one is a character meaning ‘to return’. So, this kanji character expresses something returning to water. This kanji concept is not completely in line with the meanings, but still a good metaphor for tears, I think. To tell the truth, this kanji was born in a more hieroglyphical way: it came from the shape of tears on a face. However, it’s very true that tears coming out of an eye return to water.
• 泪 : a kanji character composed of two different parts. The left one is the same as explained above, expressing ‘water’; the right one is a character meaning ‘eye‘. So, this kanji character expresses liquid coming out of an eye. This concept is completely in line with the meanings.

Both kanji characters can mean the same things, but it’s worth mentioning that Japanese people use the first one more often.

When we meet new kanji characters, we should check their components in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji components tell us a lot about the meanings of the characters they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understandings of the two kanji characters through the detailed checks above. Then, let me explain how to use “namida” through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “tears” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kanojo – 彼女 (かのじょ) : a pronoun meaning ‘she’ in Japanese.
• ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this works after “kanojo” to make the subject word in the sentence.
• wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this works after “namida” to make the object word in the sentence.
• nagashi – 流し (ながし) : one conjugation of the verb, “nagasu”, which means ‘to pour’, ‘to let something flow’, or such in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese ta form. In the example, this is used after “nagashi” to make its past tense form, “nagashi ta”.

This is a typical usage of “namida”. In this example, it works as a part of the commonly-used expression, “namida wo nagashi ta”, which means ‘to have cried tears’ in Japanese. This expression should be learnt together with its present tense form, “namida wo nagasu”.

Example #2: another usage of “namida”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• no – の : a case particle used after a noun or pronoun to make its possessive case. In the example, this is used after “kanojo” to make its possessive case, “kanojo no”, which means ‘her’ in Japanese.
• aoi – 青い (あおい) : an i-adjective meaning ‘blue’ in Japanese. In the example, this works as a modifier to describe the color of “namida”.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “kanojo no aoi namida” to make the subject in the sentence.
• totemo – とても : an adverb of degree meaning ‘very’, ‘much’, ‘so’, or such in Japanese. In the example, this works to emphasize the meaning of its following word.
• utsukushikat – 美しかっ (うつくしかっ) : one conjugation of the i-adjective, “utsukushii“, which means ‘beautiful’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.

This is another typical usage of “namida”. When we want to say “tear” or “tears” in Japanese, this noun is always a very good option.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “namida” in detail with its two kanji expressions. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• namida – 涙/泪 (なみだ) : a noun meaning ‘tear’ or ‘teardrop’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Native speakers use this noun to refer to a drop or drops coming out of someone’s eye. Both kanji characters mean the same things, but native speakers use the first one more often.
• namida wo nagasu – 涙を流す (なみだをながす) : a commonly-used expression meaning ‘to cry tears’ in Japanese.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.