觉

• Pinyin: jiào
• Hanzi breakdown: 觉 = 学 top + 见, to perceive/sleep (simplified from 覺)

Meaning

Sleep (colloquial noun form); a period of sleep.

When pronounced 'jiào,' it serves as a colloquial noun for sleep, used in phrases like 睡觉 (to sleep) and 午觉 (afternoon nap). Different from 'jué' pronunciation which means 'to feel/sense.'

Examples

1. 昨晚没睡好觉，今天一整天都没精神。 I didn't sleep well last night, so I've had no energy all day today.
2. 医生建议老年人每天中午睡个午觉，对健康有好处。 Doctors recommend that elderly people take an afternoon nap every day, as it's good for health.
3. 考试前他紧张得一觉都没睡，眼睛都熬红了。 Before the exam, he was so nervous he didn't sleep a wink, and his eyes were red from staying up.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, health, casual

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我去睡个觉。(I'm going to take a nap.)
• 你睡了几个小时的觉？(How many hours did you sleep?)

Don't Say

• 在正式书面语中单独使用觉 (In formal writing, use 睡眠 instead of 觉)

Origin & History

Originally meant 'to wake up' or 'to feel.' The noun meaning of 'sleep' evolved from 睡觉 (sleep-wake cycle).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal