1.
rumination; chewing cud
The biological process by which ruminant animals (cattle, sheep, etc.) regurgitate food to chew it again.
牛は反芻する動物だ。
Cows are ruminant animals.
反芻動物は胃が複数ある。
Ruminants have multiple stomachs.
羊が静かに反芻していた。
The sheep were quietly chewing their cud.
2.
mulling over; pondering; going over again
Thinking about something repeatedly and deeply; mentally reviewing past events or ideas.
過去を反芻する。
To mull over the past.
彼の言葉を何度も反芻した。
I mulled over his words many times.
失敗を反芻しても始まらない。
Dwelling on failure won't get you anywhere.
反芻 means "chewing again."
WORD FORMATION:
- 反 (return, repeat) + 芻 (grass, fodder)
SENSE 1 (BIOLOGICAL):
- Describes the digestive process of ruminants
- 反芻動物: ruminants
SENSE 2 (FIGURATIVE):
- Going over something mentally again and again
- Can be positive (careful consideration) or negative (dwelling)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 反芻する: to ruminate, to mull over
- 過去を反芻する: to mull over the past
- 記憶を反芻する: to go over memories
PSYCHOLOGY NOTE:
In psychology, 反芻 often refers to negative rumination - obsessively thinking about past events or problems.