眠る

• Reading: ねむる
• Romaji: nemuru
• Kanji breakdown: 眠 (min/nemu) — sleep, slumber
• Pronunciation: /ne.mɯ.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To sleep; to fall asleep. Describes the state or act of sleeping.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. While 寝る (neru) means to go to bed or lie down, 眠る focuses more on the state of being asleep. 眠る can also be used metaphorically — 才能が眠っている (talent is dormant/sleeping). The related adjective is 眠い (nemui, sleepy).

Examples

1. ゆうべはよく眠れなかった。 I couldn't sleep well last night.
2. 赤ちゃんが静かに眠っている。 The baby is sleeping quietly.
3. 疲れていたので電車の中で眠ってしまった。 I was so tired that I fell asleep on the train.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, health, bedtime

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 眠 combines 目 (me, eye) with 民 (min, people). The phonetic component 民 originally depicted an eye being pierced — closed eyes, the look of sleep.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal