What does "kick in" mean?

For medication to take effect For medicine or treatment to start working.

How do you use "kick in" in a sentence?

Wait for the painkillers to kick in. The medication kicked in after an hour. Has it kicked in yet?

Phrasal Verb BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common informal

Meaning: For medication to take effect

（药物）起效

Hacer efecto

（薬が）効き始める

(약이) 효과가 나타나다

For medicine or treatment to start working.

药物或治疗开始发挥作用。

Que un medicamento o tratamiento empiece a funcionar.

薬や治療が効果を発揮し始めること。

약이나 치료가 효과를 발휘하기 시작하다.

Base verb: kick

Particle: in

Separable: No — the verb and particle stay together

Wait for the painkillers to kick in.
等止痛药起效
Espera a que hagan efecto los analgésicos
鎮痛剤が効くまで待って
진통제가 효과가 날 때까지 기다려.
The medication kicked in after an hour.
药物一小时后起效了
El medicamento hizo efecto después de una hora
薬は1時間後に効き始めた
약은 한 시간 후에 효과가 나타났다.
Has it kicked in yet?
起效了吗？
¿Ya ha hecho efecto?
もう効いた？
벌써 효과가 나타났어?

Context: medication, effect, treatment

Tone: patient

From kicking into action.

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal