睡觉

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Character Breakdown

Basic Meaning

"睡觉" (shuì jiào) is a common verb phrase meaning "to sleep" or "to go to bed." It is used in everyday conversation to talk about the act of sleeping or the time one goes to sleep.

Usage Notes

This phrase is often used with time expressions to indicate when someone goes to bed, e.g., "晚上睡觉" (go to bed at 10 p.m.). It can also be used to describe the state of sleeping, as in "睡觉时候" (while sleeping). Unlike the single character "," which means "to sleep," "睡觉" is a fixed expression that specifically refers to the act of sleeping or going to bed.

Common Collocations

  • "睡觉时间" (sleeping time): refers to the time allocated for sleep.
  • "睡觉" (sleep poorly): describes poor sleep quality.
  • "睡觉" (childish or cute way to say sleep): often used when talking to children.

Register and Tone

"睡觉" is neutral and suitable for all levels of formality in daily life. It is not used in formal writing but is very common in spoken Mandarin.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse "睡觉" with "" (shuì zháo), which means "to fall asleep" or "to be asleep." "睡觉" focuses on the act of sleeping or going to bed, while "" emphasizes the state of having fallen asleep.

Example Sentences

I go to bed at 10 o'clock every night.

Don't disturb the child when he is sleeping.

I went to bed very late yesterday.