Definition
To swim; to move through water using your body.
Example
彼女は毎朝プールで泳ぐ。
Show translation
She swims in the pool every morning.
Etymology
From Old Japanese *およく (oyoku). The root およ- (oyo-) appears in classical texts meaning "to swim" or "to float across water," and is related to the broader sense of crossing or traversing. The verb follows the standard godan (Group I) conjugation pattern ending in -gu (ぐ).
Cultural note
Swimming holds a special cultural place in Japan — suieitaikai (水泳大会, swimming meets) are a beloved fixture of the elementary school calendar every summer. The ocean, rivers, and public pools are packed in July and August, making 泳ぐ one of the most seasonally relevant words of the year. Note that 泳ぐ is the plain/dictionary form; the polite form is 泳ぎます (oyogimasu).