Meaning and Usage
The verb 寝かせる (ねかせる) primarily means "to put someone to bed" or "to lay someone down," often used when talking about putting children or babies to sleep. It also has a specialized meaning in cooking and fermentation contexts, where it means "to let rest" or "to ferment" ingredients like dough or tea leaves.
Common Contexts
- Putting to bed: Used when parents or caregivers put children or babies to sleep.
- Resting dough or ingredients: In cooking, it refers to letting dough or other ingredients rest to improve texture or flavor.
- Laying down a person or object: Can be used more generally to mean laying something down carefully.
Collocations and Patterns
- 赤ちゃんを寝かせる: to put a baby to sleep
- 生地を寝かせる: to let dough rest
- 体を寝かせる: to lay down one's body
Register and Nuance
This verb is neutral and commonly used in both casual and formal contexts. When used with babies or children, it often implies care and tenderness. In cooking, it is a technical term.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 寝かせる with 寝る (to sleep) or 寝るのを待つ (to wait for someone to sleep). Remember, 寝かせる is a transitive verb meaning "to cause someone or something to lie down or rest," not the act of sleeping itself.