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What is the Kanji for 'Sleep' and 'Sleepy'? | 眠

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for 'Sleep' and 'Sleepy', you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for 'Sleep' and 'Sleepy' is 眠.

    kanji

    Meaning

    Sleep, Sleepy

    Reading

    kunyomiねむ

    nemu

    onyomiみん

    min

    Parts

    Eye People, Nation

    Example Word

    睡眠: sleep. The Japanese verbal noun '睡眠 (すいみん)' refers to the act or state of sleeping. It is commonly used in contexts related to health, well-being, and daily routines. For example: I need more sleep「もっと睡眠が必要です」(もっとすいみんがひつようです). Good sleep is important for health「良い睡眠は健康に重要です」(よいすいみんはけんこうにじゅうようです). This word is often used in medical or scientific discussions about sleep quality, disorders, or habits. It can also appear in phrases like '睡眠不足 (すいみんぶそく)' (lack of sleep) or '睡眠時間 (すいみんじかん)' (sleep duration).

    Radical

    Stroke Count

    10

    JLPT

    N3

    Grade

    7

    Frequency

    652

    Handwriting

Parts of the Kanji

If you visually break down this kanji, you can see it is made up of 2 parts:

    kanji

    Meaning

    Eye

    kanji

    Meaning

    People, Nation

Words Using

This kanji is used in 6 words:

    word

    眠る

    Meaning

    Sleep

    word

    眠い

    Meaning

    Sleepy

    word

    居眠り

    Meaning

    Doze

    word

    睡眠

    Meaning

    Sleep

    word

    眠り

    Meaning

    Sleep

    word

    眠たい

    Meaning

    Sleepy

Kanji Related to Through the Part

These 23 kanji contain the part 目 as well.

    kanji

    Meaning

    See

    kanji

    Meaning

    Shellfish

    kanji

    Meaning

    Straight, Repair

    kanji

    Meaning

    Self

    kanji

    Meaning

    Calculate

    kanji

    Meaning

    Prefecture

    kanji

    Meaning

    Arrive, Wear

    kanji

    Meaning

    Mutual

    kanji

    Meaning

    Ministry, Conserve

    kanji

    Meaning

    Tool

    kanji

    Meaning

    Coach, Supervise

    kanji

    Meaning

    Shield

    kanji

    Meaning

    Watch

    kanji

    Meaning

    Eyeball

    kanji

    Meaning

    Blink, Flash

    kanji

    Meaning

    Sleep, Drowsy

    kanji

    Meaning

    Blind

    kanji

    Meaning

    Stare, Look out over

    kanji

    Meaning

    Risk

    kanji

    Meaning

    Eyebrows

    kanji

    Meaning

    Pupil

    kanji

    Meaning

    Clear

    kanji

    Meaning

    Friendly

Learn the Kanji

Let's make sure you fully understand this kanji.

What does 眠 mean?

眠 means 'Sleep' and 'Sleepy'.

Japanese school students learn this kanji in Junior Highschool, while non-native learners often study it for the JLPT N3 exam.

To help you master this kanji, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.