冬眠|とうみんtoumin[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbhibernation; winter sleep; brumation; torpor
Conjugation
Dictionary form冬眠する(とうみんする)
Polite (masu)冬眠します(とうみんします)
Negative (nai)冬眠しない(とうみんしない)
polite (masen)冬眠しません(とうみんしません)
classical zu / nu冬眠せず・冬眠せぬ(とうみんせず・とうみんせぬ)
Past (ta)冬眠した(とうみんした)
polite (mashita)冬眠しました(とうみんしました)
Past negative (nakatta)冬眠しなかった(とうみんしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)冬眠しませんでした(とうみんしませんでした)
Te form冬眠して(とうみんして)
Potential冬眠できる(とうみんできる)
Passive冬眠される(とうみんされる)
Causative冬眠させる(とうみんさせる)
Causative passive冬眠させられる(とうみんさせられる)
Conditional (ba)冬眠すれば(とうみんすれば)
tara冬眠したら(とうみんしたら)
Volitional冬眠しよう(とうみんしよう)
polite (mashou)冬眠しましょう(とうみんしましょう)
Imperative冬眠しろ(とうみんしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym冬籠るWrittenWritten/formal prose. Covers people shut in at home for the winter as well as animals holing up; 「冬眠」 centers on entering a dormant state.
  • Synonym冬ごもるNeutralNeutral. The kana-spelled form: shutting oneself in or holing up for the winter, as in 「熊が冬ごもる」. 「冬眠」 stresses dormancy and can be figurative.
  • Related穴篭りNeutralNeutral. An animal holing up in a burrow for the winter; the emphasis is on hiding in the hole, and it is rare. 「冬眠」 stresses winter dormancy.
  • Antonym覚醒かくせいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Waking up or awakening; the opposite of 「冬眠」, which is deep sleep and dormancy.
  • Antonym活動かつどうNeutralNeutral. Activity; the opposite of 「冬眠」, which is ceasing activity and lying dormant.

Use 「冬眠」 for an animal's winter dormancy, as in 「熊が冬眠する」; it also works figuratively. For shutting oneself in or holing up over the winter, say 「冬ごもり」. For waking, use 「覚醒」; for being active, 「活動」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. ある動物どうぶつが体温たいおんを低下ていかさせるなどして活動かつどうを休止きゅうしし、冬ふゆを過すごすこと。
Kanji in this word
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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