Among Japanese compound verbs, there is a pair that points in completely opposite directions: ～出す (outward) and ～込む (inward). Master these two suffix verbs, and you unlock over a dozen high-frequency words in one go.
～出す: From Inside to Outside
The core image of 出す (だす) is "outward." When attached to other verbs, it carries two main meanings:
Meaning 1: Physical Outward Movement
| Compound Verb | Reading | English | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 飛び出す | とびだす | rush out, fly out | fly + outward |
| 取り出す | とりだす | take out, extract | take + outward |
| 引き出す | ひきだす | pull out, draw out | pull + outward |
| 追い出す | おいだす | drive out, kick out | chase + outward |
子どもが道に飛び出した。 → A child dashed out into the road.
かばんから財布を取り出した。 → I took out my wallet from the bag.
彼を部屋から追い出した。 → I drove him out of the room.
Meaning 2: Sudden Onset (Something Erupts)
This usage is more abstract — it does not mean literally "going out," but rather an action suddenly bursting into existence.
| Compound Verb | Reading | English | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 泣き出す | なきだす | burst into tears | cry + erupt |
| 走り出す | はしりだす | start running suddenly | run + erupt |
| 笑い出す | わらいだす | burst out laughing | laugh + erupt |
| 言い出す | いいだす | bring up, start saying | say + comes out |
| 思い出す | おもいだす | recall, remember | think + surfaces |
赤ちゃんが急に泣き出した。 → The baby suddenly burst into tears.
電車が走り出した。 → The train started moving.
あ、思い出した！明日は試験だ。 → Oh, I just remembered! There is an exam tomorrow.
思い出す is an extremely common N3 word meaning "to recall" — a memory "surfaces" from the depths of your mind.
～込む: From Outside to Inside
The core image of 込む (こむ) is "inward." When attached to other verbs, it also has two main meanings:
Meaning 1: Physical Inward Movement
| Compound Verb | Reading | English | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 飛び込む | とびこむ | dive in, jump in | fly + inward |
| 持ち込む | もちこむ | bring in, carry in | hold + inward |
| 巻き込む | まきこむ | get involved, drag in | roll + inward |
| 申し込む | もうしこむ | apply, sign up | declare + submit in |
プールに飛び込んだ。 → I dived into the pool.
会場に飲食物を持ち込まないでください。 → Please do not bring food or drinks into the venue.
事故に巻き込まれた。 → I got caught up in an accident.
申し込む does not look like a physical "entering" action, but the image is submitting your application materials "into" the system — very intuitive once you see it that way.
Meaning 2: Deeply, Thoroughly (Intensity Deepens)
This usage is also very visual — the action is not done lightly, but deeply and thoroughly.
| Compound Verb | Reading | English | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 考え込む | かんがえこむ | think deeply, brood | think + sink into |
| 読み込む | よみこむ | read thoroughly | read + go deep |
| 話し込む | はなしこむ | talk at length | talk + go deep |
| 座り込む | すわりこむ | sit down firmly (refusing to move) | sit + settle in |
| 落ち込む | おちこむ | feel down, get depressed | fall + sink in |
彼女は一人で考え込んでいた。 → She was deep in thought, all by herself.
友達と話し込んで、終電を逃した。 → I got so absorbed in talking with my friend that I missed the last train.
試験に落ちて、落ち込んでいる。 → I failed the exam and am feeling really down.
落ち込む can describe physically "falling into" something, or emotionally "sinking into a low mood." It is a must-know N3 word.
Side-by-Side: 飛び出す vs 飛び込む
Pair the same front verb with ～出す and ～込む, and the directional contrast becomes crystal clear:
| Front Verb | ～出す (Outward) | ～込む (Inward) |
|---|---|---|
| 飛ぶ | 飛び出す rush out | 飛び込む dive in |
| 走る | 走り出す suddenly start running | 走り込む train by running (go deep) |
| 持つ | 持ち出す take out | 持ち込む bring in |
| 引く | 引き出す pull out | 引き込む pull in, attract |
猫が箱から飛び出した。 → The cat jumped out of the box.
猫が箱に飛び込んだ。 → The cat jumped into the box.
Same cat, completely opposite directions.
Pattern Summary
| ～出す | ～込む | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Inside to outside | Outside to inside |
| Physical action | Go out, take out | Enter, bring in |
| Abstract meaning | Sudden onset | Deep, thorough |
| Key words | Eruption, surfacing | Immersion, sinking in |
Wrap-Up
- ～出す means "outward": physically "from inside to outside," abstractly "suddenly happening"
- ～込む means "inward": physically "from outside to inside," abstractly "deeply, thoroughly"
- Pairing the same front verb with ～出す / ～込む gives opposite directions — learning them together is the most efficient approach
- 思い出す (recall) and 落ち込む (feel down) are high-frequency N3 test items
- 申し込む (apply) may not look like physical "entering," but the image is "submitting materials into" a system
Practice
Q1. Fill in the blank: 「赤ちゃんが急に＿＿＿」 — The baby suddenly burst into tears. Combine 泣く + 出す.
Answer
赤ちゃんが急に泣き出した。
The conjunctive form of 泣く is 泣き. Adding 出す expresses "suddenly start crying."
Q2. Fill in the blank: 「プールに＿＿＿」 — I dived into the pool. Combine 飛ぶ + 込む.
Answer
プールに飛び込んだ。
The conjunctive form of 飛ぶ is 飛び. Adding 込む expresses "dive in." The past tense of 込む is 込んだ.
Q3. Fill in the blank: 「友達と＿＿＿、終電を逃した」 — I got so absorbed in talking with my friend that I missed the last train. Use the て-form of 話す + 込む.
Answer
友達と話し込んで、終電を逃した。
The conjunctive form of 話す is 話し. Adding 込む expresses "talk deeply/at length." The て-form of 込む is 込んで.