1.
to soak, to be submerged in liquid
To be partially or fully immersed in water or another liquid. Often used for bathing or soaking food.
お風呂に浸かる。
To soak in the bath.
温泉にゆっくり浸かって疲れを取った。
I soaked slowly in the hot spring and relieved my fatigue.
野菜を水に浸かるまで入れてください。
Please add the vegetables until they are submerged in water.
2.
to be steeped in, to be absorbed in
To be deeply immersed in a feeling, atmosphere, or activity. A figurative extension of the physical meaning.
余韻に浸かる。
To bask in the afterglow.
旅行の思い出に浸かっていた。
I was lost in memories of the trip.
勝利の喜びに浸かる暇もなく、次の試合が始まった。
Without even time to bask in the joy of victory, the next match started.
USAGE:
Takes the particle に to mark what one is soaking in: ～に浸かる. The most common usage is お風呂に浸かる (to soak in the bath).
SIMILAR WORDS:
浸る also means "to be immersed" but is more literary and tends to emphasize the figurative sense of being absorbed in something. 浸かる is more common for physical soaking.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- お風呂に浸かる: to soak in the bath
- 温泉に浸かる: to soak in a hot spring
- 水に浸かる: to be submerged in water
- 余韻に浸かる: to bask in the afterglow
- 思い出に浸かる: to be lost in memories