Sleep in Japanese
"sleep" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
寝
ne
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "sleep". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
眠 is to sleep. 寝 is to lie down and go to bed — the act rather than the state. 睡 appears in 睡眠, sleep as a subject. 休 is to rest. Japanese separates lying down from being asleep.
Top pick
sleep, die, sleepy
Reading: min
10 strokes · peaceful, dark
Where it comes from
Composed of eye and people. People's eye.
What it carries
Sleep, slumber, sound sleep. Represents sleeping.
Related kanji for "sleep"
sleep
shin · peaceful, dark
Composed of roof and phonetic. Sleeping under roof.
sleep
sui · peaceful, dark
Composed of eye and droop. Eyes drooping.
sleep
kyuu · peaceful
Person (人) leaning against a tree (木). Resting in the shade of a tree.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for sleep?
The most common kanji for "sleep" is 眠, read as min. It means sleep, die, sleepy. Related kanji: 寝 (sleep), 睡 (sleep), 休 (sleep).
How many strokes does 眠 have?
眠 has 10 strokes.