Meaning and Usage
The verb 込む (こむ) primarily means "to be crowded" or "to be packed." It is often used to describe places or things that become full of people, vehicles, or objects.
Common Contexts
- Describing crowded places like trains, stations, roads, or shops.
- Expressing congestion or fullness in traffic or spaces.
- When combined with other verbs, it can indicate doing something thoroughly or deeply, e.g., 詰め込む (to cram into).
Collocations and Patterns
- 込む after a noun or verb stem to indicate crowding or fullness: 駅が込む (the station is crowded), 道が込む (the road is congested).
- Verb stem + 込む to express doing something deeply or intensively: 考え込む (to think deeply), 話し込む (to talk at length).
Register and Nuance
込む is neutral and commonly used in everyday conversation. It can describe both physical crowding and metaphorical intensities.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 込む with 混む (same pronunciation and meaning) but written differently. Both are correct, but 込む is often used in compound verbs to express "doing something thoroughly." Remember the context to choose the right kanji.