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March 24, 2026
眠mián(mian2)
眠 (mián) means 'to sleep' or 'to hibernate.' It is commonly used to describe the act of sleeping, particularly in contexts that convey a sense of deep rest or hibernation, such as animals during winter. This character is often associated with peacefulness and is used in both formal and informal settings.
Strokes10Radical目Frequency#8630DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of sleep is often linked with the idea of maintaining balance and harmony in life. Traditional practices, such as TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), emphasize the importance of good sleep for health and well-being.
Memory Tip
Imagine a cozy bed with a fluffy blanket that looks like a cloud (the radical '氵' suggests water, which can symbolize relaxation). Picture a bear hibernating in a cave, snuggled in for a long sleep. This imagery links the character 眠 (mián) to its meaning of deep sleep.
Meanings of 眠
mián(mian2)
1to sleep
2to hibernate
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 眠
眠Simplified
10Strokes
目Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#8630Frequency Rank
Podcast: 眠
Podcast: 眠
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AI Study Notes for 眠
Quick Contrast
安睡 (ān shuì) vs 眠 (mián): use 眠 when emphasizing deep rest or hibernation, while 安睡 focuses on peaceful or sound sleep.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 眠 with related characters like 睡 (shuì), which is more commonly used in everyday conversation. While 眠 can be used in both formal and literary contexts, 睡 is more informal. A common collocation is '安眠' (ān mián), meaning 'peaceful sleep.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 眠 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other sleep-related words like 睡觉 (shuì jiào) and 安静 (ān jìng). Students should focus on recognizing the character in context and its usage with other sleep-related vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 眠 with 睡, leading to incorrect phrases like '我喜欢眠' instead of '我喜欢睡.' Always use 睡 in casual conversation.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 眠
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Phonosemantic compound. 目 represents the meaning and 民 represents the sound.
1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
2The sound half民 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayeye
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 眠? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 眠?
Decomposition of 眠
IDS Structure⿰目民
眠Full Character
=
目mu4
left
民Min2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 眠?
How to say to sleep in Chinese
“to sleep” in Chinese is眠mián
眠 (mián) means 'to sleep' or 'to hibernate.' It is commonly used to describe the act of sleeping, particularly in contexts that convey a sense of deep rest or hibernation, such as animals during winter. This character is often associated with peacefulness and is used in both formal and informal settings.
When to use 眠
Be careful not to confuse 眠 with related characters like 睡 (shuì), which is more commonly used in everyday conversation. While 眠 can be used in both formal and literary contexts, 睡 is more informal. A common collocation is '安眠' (ān mián), meaning 'peaceful sleep.'
眠 or something close to it
安睡 (ān shuì) vs 眠 (mián): use 眠 when emphasizing deep rest or hibernation, while 安睡 focuses on peaceful or sound sleep.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 眠 with 睡, leading to incorrect phrases like '我喜欢眠' instead of '我喜欢睡.' Always use 睡 in casual conversation.
Write 眠
眠
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Practice writing 眠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 眠
眠 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
