shuì mián
sleep; slumber
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我晚上睡不好觉。
wǒ wǎnshàng shuì bù hǎo jiào.
I can't sleep well at night.
他每天睡八个小时。
tā měitiān shuì bā gè xiǎoshí.
He sleeps eight hours a day.
睡眠对健康很重要。
shuìmiàn duì jiànkāng hěn zhòngyào.
Sleep is important for health.
睡觉 (shuìjiào)
sleep
梦乡 (mèngxiāng)
dreamland
清醒 (qǐngxǐng)
awake
失眠 (shīmián)
insomnia
The Chinese word 睡眠 (shuìmiàn) for "sleep" is composed of two characters: 睡 (shuì) and 眠 (mián). Both characters have similar meanings related to sleep, but they have distinct origins and nuances.The character 睡 (shuì) originally meant "to lie down" or "to rest." It is believed to have originated from the pictograph of a person lying on a bed. Over time, the meaning of 睡 evolved to specifically refer to the state of being asleep.The character 眠 (mián) also means "to sleep," but it has a slightly different connotation. It is often used in a poetic or literary context and can also refer to a deep or peaceful sleep. The character 眠 is believed to have originated from the pictograph of a person closing their eyes.When combined, the characters 睡 and 眠 form the compound word 睡眠 (shuìmiàn), which specifically refers to the act of sleeping or the state of being asleep. It is commonly used in everyday language and is the standard term for "sleep" in Chinese.
