眠い

• Reading: ねむい
• Romaji: nemui
• Kanji breakdown: 眠 (min/nemu) — sleep, drowsy
• Pronunciation: /ne.mɯ.i/

Meaning

Sleepy; drowsy. The physical sensation of wanting to sleep.

An i-adjective describing the feeling of drowsiness. Conjugates regularly: 眠くない (not sleepy), 眠かった (was sleepy), 眠くて (sleepy and...). Often paired with とても or すごく for emphasis. The related verb 眠る (nemuru, to sleep) is more formal than 寝る (neru, to go to bed/sleep).

Examples

1. 昨日あまり寝なかったから、今日はとても眠いです。 I didn't sleep much last night, so I'm really sleepy today.
2. 授業中に眠くなってしまいました。 I ended up getting drowsy during class.
3. コーヒーを飲んでも眠い時があります。 There are times when I'm still sleepy even after drinking coffee.

Usage Guide

Context: morning, tiredness, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 眠 combines 目 (me, eye) and 民 (min, people — also phonetic). The image of eyes closing among the people — drowsiness overtaking. Related to the verb 眠る (nemuru, to sleep).

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal