睡

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 睡 (shuì) for "sleep" is composed of two parts: the radical 目 (mù) for "eye" on the left, and the phonetic component 垂 (chuí) on the right. The radical 目 indicates that the character is related to vision or sight, while the phonetic component 垂 suggests the pronunciation of the character.The original meaning of 睡 was "to close the eyes", which is still one of its meanings today. However, over time, the meaning of 睡 has expanded to include the broader concept of "sleep". This is likely due to the fact that closing the eyes is a natural precursor to sleep.The character 睡 is also used in a number of other words and phrases related to sleep, such as 睡眠 (shuìmiàn) for "sleep", 睡觉 (shuìjiào) for "to go to bed", and 失眠 (shīmián) for "insomnia".In addition to its literal meaning, 睡 can also be used in a figurative sense to refer to a state of inactivity or dormancy. For example, the phrase 冬眠 (dōngmián) literally means "winter sleep", but it is also used to refer to the state of hibernation in which some animals spend the winter months.The character 睡 is a common and versatile character that is used in a variety of contexts. Its etymology provides insight into its original meaning and how it has evolved over time.