1.
to soak in water; to immerse in water
To place something in water and leave it submerged, typically for cleaning, softening, or preparation purposes.
米を水に浸す。
To soak rice in water.
豆を一晩水に浸しておく。
To soak beans in water overnight.
乾燥わかめを水に浸して戻してから使う。
Soak the dried wakame in water to reconstitute it before using.
A very common cooking and daily-life expression. Soaking ingredients in water is a fundamental step in Japanese cooking.
COMMON USES IN COOKING:
- 米を水に浸す: soaking rice before cooking (typically 30 minutes to an hour)
- 豆を水に浸す: soaking dried beans
- 乾物を水に浸す: soaking dried goods (shiitake, kombu, etc.)
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 水につける: to put in water — very similar, slightly more casual
- 水に漬ける: to soak/pickle in water — can also mean marinating
- 浸す alone means "to soak" or "to immerse" and can be used with liquids other than water
NOTE:
浸す (transitive) vs. 浸る (intransitive): 浸す means to soak something; 浸る means to be soaked or immersed.