睡

• Pinyin: shuì
• Hanzi breakdown: 睡 = 目 (eye) + 垂 (droop) — eyes drooping shut

Meaning

To sleep. The basic verb for the act of sleeping or being asleep.

Often used with complements to describe the quality or duration of sleep, such as 睡得好 (slept well) or 睡了八个小时 (slept eight hours). Can be used alone or in compounds like 睡觉 and 睡着.

Examples

1. 我昨天睡得很晚。 I went to sleep very late yesterday.
2. 弟弟已经睡了。 Little brother is already asleep.
3. 你每天睡几个小时？ How many hours do you sleep each day?

Usage Guide

Context: daily routine, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我睡了八个小时。(I slept for eight hours.)
• 他还没睡呢。(He hasn't gone to sleep yet.)

Don't Say

• 我睡在十点。(Wrong word order — say 我十点睡 or 我十点睡觉; the time goes before the verb)

Origin & History

The character combines 目 (eye) and 垂 (to droop/hang down), depicting eyes drooping shut in sleep.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal