How to say "sleep" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 寝るねるichidan verb, intransitive verbThe everyday verb for going to sleep: lying down and sleeping, as at bedtime. Choose this when saying that someone goes to bed or sleeps, rather than describing the state of being asleep.
- 眠るねむるgodan verb, intransitive verbThe other verb for 'to sleep': it describes the state of being asleep, as opposed to 寝る, which leans toward going to bed and lying down.
- 睡眠すいみんno-adjectiveThe noun for sleep as a phenomenon: the word for talking about sleep itself — how much or how well one sleeps — rather than the act of going to bed.
- 眠りねむりnounA noun for the state of sleeping: describes a person's sleep, as a baby's or a light one, rather than sleep as a general topic.
- 寝ねnounSeldom the word you want by itself: despite the gloss 'sleep', it essentially appears within set expressions rather than as an independent word. Use 眠り or 睡眠 for the noun.
Use 「寝る」 or 「眠る」 for the verb 'to sleep' — going to bed versus being asleep — 睡眠 for sleep as a noun in general talk, 「眠り」 for the state of sleeping, and avoid 寝 on its own.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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