不眠

• Reading: ふみん
• Romaji: fumin
• Kanji breakdown: 不 (fu) — negation, lack of; 眠 (min) — sleep, slumber
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.miŋ/

Meaning

Insomnia; sleeplessness. An inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or achieve restorative sleep.

A noun used both as a medical diagnosis and in everyday speech. 不眠症 (fuminshoo) is the clinical term for insomnia as a disorder, while 不眠 alone often describes the symptom. Frequently co-occurs with mental health conditions such as うつ病 (depression) and 不安障害 (anxiety disorder). The phrase 不眠不休で働く (to work without sleep or rest) is a common idiom for intense effort.

Examples

1. 過度のストレスが原因で不眠が続き、日常生活に支障をきたしている。 Persistent insomnia caused by excessive stress is interfering with his daily life.
2. 不眠を訴えて受診する患者の中には、うつ病が隠れていることがある。 Among patients who visit a doctor complaining of insomnia, depression may sometimes be lurking underneath.
3. 睡眠薬に頼らずに不眠を改善するための認知行動療法が注目されている。 Cognitive behavioral therapy for improving insomnia without relying on sleeping pills is gaining attention.

Usage Guide

Context: health, mental health, sleep disorders, stress, medicine

Tone: neutral, clinical

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound: 不 (fu) is a negation prefix, and 眠 (min) means sleep or slumber. The compound simply denotes the absence of sleep. Used in Chinese classical medicine and adopted into Japanese medical vocabulary.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical-Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: Universal