Onyomi: ミン · Kunyomi: ねむ.い, ねむ.る · Meanings: die, sleep, sleepy
Kanji for die, sleep, sleepy
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The kanji 眠 combines the eye radical 目 on the left and the character 民 (people) on the right. In ancient times, this combination suggested that when people close their eyes, they rest and recover. The eye (目) shows what is closing, while 民 represents people in general — everyone needs sleep. Over time, 眠 came to mean “sleep” or “to be sleepy,” showing the universal human need to rest.
Made from 目 (eye) and 民 (people), 眠 shows people closing their eyes — it represents sleep, resting, or feeling sleepy.
This kanji declares: the eyes (目) close as people (民) rest — 眠 means sleep. Imagine lying down after a long day, closing your eyes, and letting your body recover. Every time you see 眠, think of your eyes shutting and drifting into rest.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 眠る | ねむる | to sleep | common JLPT-N4 Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 眠い | ねむい | sleepy, drowsy, somnolent | common JLPT-N4 I-adjective (keiyoushi) |
| 眠たい | ねむたい | sleepy, drowsy | common JLPT-N1 I-adjective (keiyoushi) |
| 眠り | ねむり | sleep, sleeping | common Noun |
| 眠気 | ねむけ | sleepiness, drowsiness | common Noun |
| 眠り込む | ねむりこむ | to fall asleep, to sleep deeply | Godan verb with 'mu' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 眠気覚まし | ねむけざまし | keeping oneself awake, fighting off drowsiness, method for keeping oneself awake | Noun |
| 眠れる森の美女 | ねむれるもりのびじょ | Sleeping Beauty (ballet by Tchaikovsky) | Noun |
| 眠りに落ちる | ねむりにおちる | to fall asleep | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Ichidan verb |
| 眠りにつく | ねむりにつく | to fall asleep | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Godan verb with 'ku' ending |
| ネムリブカ | ネムリブカ | whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) | Noun |
| 眠らせる | ねむらせる | to put to sleep | Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 眠そう | ねむそう | sleepy-looking, sleepy-sounding | Na-adjective (keiyodoshi) |
| 眠り人 | ねぶりびと | someone who is fast asleep | Noun |
| 眠らない街 | ねむらないまち | city that never sleeps | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Noun |