眠い・睡い|ねむいnemui[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
眠い眠い is the most common written form, combining kanji and kana, and is the recommended choice for beginners.
睡い睡い is a less common kanji-and-kana written variant; learners will encounter it less often than 眠い and generally need not choose it.
Definitions
- i-adjectivesleepy; drowsy; somnolent
Conjugation
| Plain form | 眠い（ねむい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 眠いです（ねむいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 眠くない（ねむくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 眠くありません（ねむくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 眠かった（ねむかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 眠くなかった（ねむくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 眠くて（ねむくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 眠く（ねむく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 眠ければ（ねむければ） |
| kattara | 眠かったら（ねむかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym眠たいねむたいCasualColloquial; means the same as 「眠い」 with a slightly softer feel, so it can replace it in everyday speech.
- Related眠たげWrittenWritten register: describes someone who looks very sleepy, as in 「眠たげな目」; used for another person's expression.
- Related眠げNeutralMeans looking sleepy; rarely used as is — 「眠そう」 is the usual way to say it.
- Antonym覚醒かくせいWrittenWritten-language antonym of 「眠い」: waking up or becoming awake, as in 「覚醒剤」.
- Antonym冴えるさえるNeutralAntonym of 「眠い」: clear-headed and alert, as in 「目が冴えて眠れない」.
For sleepiness, 「眠い」 is the default; 「眠たい」 is a colloquial near-equivalent with a softer feel. 「眠たげ」 is written style for a sleepy look, 「眠げ」 rare — say 「眠そう」. For the opposite, 「冴える」 means clear-headed, 「覚醒」 the written word for awakening.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
