食う

くう
Alternative writings: 喰う, 啖う
JLPT:N3
Frequency:
1

(Colloquial, masculine) to eat. Same core meaning as 'to eat' (食べる) but rougher or more masculine in tone.

U-VerbTransitive VerbMale Term or Language

Examples

昨夜、ラーメンを食った。

I ate ramen last night.

腹が減った。何か食おう。

I'm hungry. Let's eat something.

ここの定食は安くてよく食える。

The set meals here are cheap and filling.

子どもたちはピザをもりもり食っていた。

The kids were gobbling down pizza.

2

To make a living; to live or earn one's keep (often used in the pattern '〜で食っている').

U-VerbTransitive Verb

Examples

彼は作家で食っている。

He makes a living as a writer.

このあたりの人は漁業で食っている人が多い。

Many people around here live by fishing.

フリーランスで細々と食っている。

I'm scraping by as a freelancer.

3

To bite or sting (as insects or animals do).

U-VerbTransitive Verb

Examples

昨晩、蚊に足を食われた。

I got bitten on the leg by a mosquito last night.

子犬が指を食いそうになった。

The puppy nearly bit my finger.

4

To tease, torment, or mock someone (colloquial, somewhat rough).

U-VerbTransitive Verb

Examples

先輩はよく後輩をからかって食う。

The seniors often tease the juniors.

人前で彼を食うようなことを言うのはやめなさい。

Don't say things that make fun of him in front of others.

5

To encroach on or eat into (physically or figuratively), to consume or corrode gradually.

U-VerbTransitive Verb

Examples

シロアリが柱を食ってしまった。

Termites have eaten into the pillar.

赤字が貯金を食っていく。

The deficits are eating away at the savings.

6

To displace or threaten someone's position or advantage (e.g., in competition).

U-VerbTransitive Verb

Examples

若手にレギュラーの座を食われてしまった。

A younger player took my regular spot.

新しい店に客を食われた。

We lost customers to a new shop.

7

To consume time or resources (e.g., 'to eat up time' or computer resources).

U-VerbTransitive Verb

Examples

この処理は思ったより時間を食う。

This process takes more time than expected.

あのゲームは電力をよく食う。

That game drains the battery quickly.

8

(Colloquial) to suffer or receive something unfavorable (e.g., to take a loss or a blow).

U-VerbTransitive VerbColloquial

Examples

株で大損を食った。

I took a huge loss on stocks.

急な雨で予定が全部食われた。

The sudden rain wiped out all the plans.

9

(Vulgar, masculine) to have sexual relations with a woman (crude expression). Use with caution; offensive in many contexts.

U-VerbTransitive VerbMale Term or LanguageVulgar Expression or Word

Examples

彼は若いころに一度だけそういう相手を食ったと言っていた(下品な表現)。

He said he slept with someone like that only once when he was young (vulgar expression).

Word Relationships

Derivations
Masu-Form食います
Nai-Form食わない
Ta-Form食った
Te-Form食って
Ba-Form食えば
Volitional Form食おう
Imperative Form食え
Potential Form食える
Passive Form食われる
Causative Form食わせる
Causative Passive Form食わせられる