寝坊

• Reading: ねぼう
• Romaji: nebou
• Kanji breakdown: 寝 (shin/ne) — sleep, lie down; 坊 (bou) — boy, fellow
• Pronunciation: /ne.boː/

Meaning

Sleeping in late; oversleeping. The act of staying in bed past the intended wake-up time.

Functions as a noun and する verb. 寝坊する means 'to oversleep.' Very common in everyday conversation, especially among students and workers. The person who oversleeps is sometimes called a 寝坊助 (nebousuke).

Examples

1. 今朝寝坊して、授業に遅刻しました。 I overslept this morning and was late for class.
2. 目覚まし時計をかけないと寝坊する。 If you don't set an alarm, you'll oversleep.
3. 日曜日だから少し寝坊してもいいよ。 It's Sunday, so it's okay to sleep in a little.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, school, morning routine

Tone: casual

Origin & History

Compound of 寝 (ne, sleep) and 坊 (bou, boy/fellow). Originally described a sleepy fellow or lazy person, then shifted to mean the act of oversleeping itself.

Cultural Context

Era: Early Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal