1.
saliva swallowed involuntarily from anticipation, desire, or nervousness
Saliva that one swallows instinctively, typically when seeing delicious food, feeling greedy anticipation, or experiencing nervous tension.
生唾を飲む。
To gulp in anticipation.
おいしそうなケーキを見て生唾を飲んだ。
I gulped at the sight of the delicious-looking cake.
緊張して生唾を飲みながら結果発表を待った。
I waited nervously for the results, swallowing hard with tension.
USAGE:
生唾 almost always appears in the expression 生唾を飲む (to swallow saliva), which conveys either eager anticipation or nervous tension. It is not used as a neutral medical or scientific term for saliva — 唾液 is the clinical term.
WORD FORMATION:
生 (raw, involuntary) + 唾 (saliva).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 生唾を飲む: to gulp, to swallow hard
- 生唾を飲み込む: to gulp down saliva
- 思わず生唾を飲む: to involuntarily gulp