expression, Godan verb

  1. to have a meal, to eat.
  2. to make a living, to earn one's bread. Idiomatic expression.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
 
 
飯を食う めしをくう
 
 
飯を喰う めしをくう

Contained Kanji Breakdown

meal, boiled rice
めし ハン いい (4th, N4)
eat, food, eat radical (no. 184)
person
ひと ニン ジン (1st, N5)
good, pleasing, skilled
よ.い リョウ ら (4th, N3)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
northeast (Oriental zodiac), stopping, good radical (no. 138)
うしとら コン (Kentei Pre-1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ にっ ニチ (1st, N5)
garment, clothes, dressing
イ ころも きぬ (4th, N2)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
garment(衣) variant
anti-
ハン タン そり (3rd, N3)
wild goose, trailing cliff radical (no. 27)
カン かりがね (Kentei 1)
or again, furthermore, on the other hand
また ユウ やす (8th, N1)
eat, food
た.べる く.う ショク (2nd, N5)
person
ひと ニン ジン (1st, N5)
good, pleasing, skilled
よ.い リョウ ら (4th, N3)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
northeast (Oriental zodiac), stopping, good radical (no. 138)
うしとら コン (Kentei Pre-1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ にっ ニチ (1st, N5)
garment, clothes, dressing
イ ころも きぬ (4th, N2)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
garment(衣) variant