Godan verb, transitive verb

  1. to eat. Male term or language.
  2. to live, to make a living, to survive.
  3. to bite, to sting (as insects do).
  4. to tease, to torment, to taunt, to make light of, to make fun of.
  5. to encroach on, to eat into, to consume.
  6. to defeat a superior, to threaten a position.
  7. to consume time and-or resources.
  8. to receive something (usu. an unfavorable event). Colloquialism.
  9. to have sexual relations with a woman, esp. for the first time. Male term or language, vulgar expression or word.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
 
食う くう
 
喰う くう
 
啖う くう

Contained Kanji Breakdown

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