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N3

Kanji 眠: meanings, readings, and example words.

2 min read

Kanji 眠: sleep, die, sleepy

Key takeaways

Kanji 眠: sleep, die, sleepy. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

N3

Meaning

sleepdiesleepy

On reading

ミン

Kun reading

ねむ.るねむ.い

Radical

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 眠

sleep, die, sleepy

Kanji structure breakdown

Structure breakdown

目 + 民

Mnemonic story

Mnemonic story

This character combines 'eye' (目) and 'people' (民). Imagine the common people closing their eyes to fall into a deep sleep after a long day of hard work.

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

ミン
  • 冬眠とうみん

    hibernation / winter sleep

  • 睡眠すいみん

    sleep

Kun reading

ねむ.る
  • 眠いねむい

    sleepy / tired

  • 眠るねむる

    to sleep

Commonly used words

  • 冬眠
    とうみん

    hibernation / winter sleep

  • 睡眠
    すいみん

    sleep

  • 眠い
    ねむい

    sleepy / tired

  • 眠る
    ねむる

    to sleep

Example sentences

Example 1

クマは冬します。

Translation

Bears hibernate.

Example 2

中はほとんど動きません。

Translation

During hibernation, they hardly move.

Example 3

朝からずっとたいです。

Translation

I've been sleepy since morning.

Example 4

夜遅くまで起きててたい。

Translation

I stayed up late at night and now I'm sleepy.

Kanji 眠: sleep, die, sleepy | Daily Nihongo