Japanese Grammar: Mastering the Suffix 込む (komu)

Japanese Grammar: Mastering the Suffix 込む (komu)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

To go into / To do something thoroughly or deeply.

🎯 Primary Function

As an auxiliary verb, ‘komu’ modifies the main verb to indicate inward direction or a high degree of intensity/thoroughness.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Stem form) + 込む (こむ)
Not applicable (This pattern primarily uses verbs).
Not applicable (This pattern primarily uses verbs).
Verb (Stem) + 込まない / 込みません

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Common in business settings (e.g., 申し込む – to apply, 検討し込む – to examine deeply).

😊 Informal Situations

Used frequently in daily conversation for physical movement or emotional states (e.g., 落ち込む – to be depressed).

✍️ Written Language

Standard in literature and news to describe complex physical or psychological actions.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Highly common in spoken Japanese to add nuance to simple actions.

💡 Common Applications

Physical Movement Into
Indicates a physical action directed towards the inside of something.
Example: 飛び込む (To dive into)
Intensive Action/State
Indicates that an action is performed deeply or for a long period.
Example: 考え込む (To be lost in thought)
Complete/Settled State
Indicates that an action is completed in a way that remains settled or fixed.
Example: 教え込む (To instill/teach thoroughly)
📊
Frequency
High
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
Example #1
男の子は公園にボールを投げ込んだ。
Furigana: おとこのこはこうえんにボールをなげこんだ。
Romaji: Otoko no ko wa kouen ni booru o nagekonda.
English: The boy threw the ball into the park.
Example #2
暑かったので、プールに飛び込んだ。
Furigana: あつかったので、プールにとびこんだ。
Romaji: Atsukatta node, puuru ni tobikonda.
English: I was hot, so I jumped into the pool.
Example #3
このノートに名前と住所を書き込んでください。
Furigana: このノートになまえとじゅうしょをかきこんでください。
Romaji: Kono nooto ni namae to juusho o kakikonde kudasai.
English: Please write your name and address in this notebook.
Example #4
カフェで友達と話し込んでしまった。
Furigana: カフェでともだちとはなしこんでしまった。
Romaji: Kafe de tomodachi to hanashikonde shimatta.
English: I lost track of time talking with my friend at the cafe.
Example #5
彼はさっきからずっと考え込んでいる。
Furigana: かれはさっきからずっとかんがえこんでいる。
Romaji: Kare wa sakki kara zutto kangaekonde iru.
English: He has been lost in thought for a while now.
Example #6
昨夜はかなり冷え込んだ。
Furigana: ゆうべはかなりひえこんだ。
Romaji: Yuube wa kanari hiekonda.
English: It got very cold last night.
Example #7
図書館への食べ物や飲み物の持ち込みは禁止です。
Furigana: としょかんへのたべものやのみもののもちこみはきんしです。
Romaji: Toshokan e no tabemono ya nomimono no mochikomi wa kinshi desu.
English: It is forbidden to bring food and drinks into the library.
Example #8
野菜をよく煮込むと、おいしくなります。
Furigana: やさいをよくにこむと、おいしくなります。
Romaji: Yasai o yoku nikomu to, oishiku narimasu.
English: If you stew the vegetables well, they will become delicious.
Example #9
試験に落ちて、彼女はひどく落ち込んでいた。
Furigana: しけんにおちて、かのじょはひどくおちこんでいた。
Romaji: Shiken ni ochite, kanojo wa hidoku ochikonde ita.
English: She was very depressed after failing the exam.
Example #10
猫が布団の中に潜り込んだ。
Furigana: ねこがふとんのなかにくぐりこんだ。
Romaji: Neko ga futon no naka ni kugurikonda.
English: The cat sneaked under the covers.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Nuance of intensity/obsession
The meaning can shift from ‘deeply’ to ‘completely,’ sometimes implying a mistake or an obsession.
Example: 信じ込む (Shinjikomu – To believe firmly/mistakenly)
Duration and persistence
Indicates not just the action, but staying in that state for a duration.
Example: 座り込む (Suwarikomu – To sit down and stay there)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 投げる込む (Nageru-komu)
✅ 投げ込む (Nage-komu)
You must use the Masu-stem (Ren’youkei) of the verb before adding -komu.
❌ 歩き込む (Aruki-komu) – unless intended for intensive training.
✅ 入り込む (Hairi-komu)
Using -komu with ‘hairu’ (to enter) creates a specific nuance of ‘getting inside a deep/narrow space,’ rather than just ‘entering.’ Using it randomly with every movement verb may sound unnatural.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by how ‘komu’ itself is conjugated (e.g., -komimasu vs. -komu).
Social Situations: Commonly used to describe deep mental states, which is important in Japanese culture’s focus on internal reflection (e.g., omoikomu).
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan, though some specific compound verbs may vary in frequency by region.

🔍 Subtle Differences

入れる (Ireru) vs. 込む (Komu)
‘Ireru’ is a simple transitive action of putting something in. ‘-komu’ implies a more forceful, thorough, or permanent movement into something.
When to use: Use ‘-komu’ when the action involves depth or persistence.

📝 Conjugation Notes

込む (komu) is a Group 1 (U-verb). It conjugates like any other verb: 込まない, 込みます, 込んだ, 込めば, etc.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

When combined, the stress often falls slightly on the first syllable of ‘komu’ to emphasize the additional nuance.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘komu’ as the kanji 込 which contains ‘movement’ (辶) and ‘inside’ (入). It literally means ‘to move into’ or ‘to get deep into’ a task.

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