休む

• Reading: やすむ
• Romaji: yasumu
• Kanji breakdown: 休 (kyuu/yasu) — to rest, holiday
• Pronunciation: /ja.sɯ.mɯ/

Meaning

To rest; to take a break; to be absent; to take a day off.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb with an m-stem. Has two main uses: resting/taking a break (ちょっと休む) and being absent from school or work (学校を休む). When meaning 'to be absent,' it takes を with the place being missed. The te-form is 休んで.

Examples

1. 疲れたので少し休みます。 I'm tired, so I'm going to rest a little.
2. 昨日は風邪で学校を休みました。 I was absent from school yesterday because of a cold.
3. ここに座って休んでください。 Please sit down here and rest.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, school, work

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 休 combines 人 (person) and 木 (tree), depicting a person resting against a tree — a vivid image of taking a break.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal