Word Detail

The Japanese word 昼寝 (hirune) means "nap" or "afternoon nap." It refers to a short sleep taken during the daytime, typically after lunch or in the afternoon. It's a common practice in Japan, particularly among children and sometimes adults, to rest for a short period. The duration of a 昼寝 is usually brief, unlike a full night's sleep.

⚫︎子供は午後、毎日昼寝をします。 Translation: The children take a nap every afternoon. ⚫︎仕事の休憩時間に少しだけ昼寝をしました。 Translation: I took a short nap during my work break.

⚫︎You can use 昼寝 in various contexts when talking about taking a nap. ⚫︎It's a straightforward word to use, making it easy to incorporate into your conversations. ⚫︎You can use the verb する (suru, to do) with 昼寝 to create the verb 昼寝をする (hirune o suru, to take a nap). ⚫︎When asking someone if they took a nap you can use the past tense of する, した (shita, did). For example: 昼寝をした？ (Hirune o shita?, Did you take a nap?)

⚫︎昼寝 is typically written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎The kanji is 昼 (hiru, daytime) and 寝 (ne, sleep). ⚫︎The reading is ひるね (hirune) in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana (suffix hiragana).

There are no direct synonyms for 昼寝 in Japanese. Other ways to express similar meaning: ⚫︎仮眠 (kamin, a short sleep; power nap) can be used, however it carries a stronger meaning of "short break" or "power nap"

⚫︎夜更かし (yofukashi, staying up late) refers to staying awake late at night, and is thus an opposite concept. ⚫︎睡眠 (suimin, sleep) is a more general term for sleep, including the full night's sleep.

お昼ご飯の後、ちょっとだけ昼寝をしたいな。 ・Translation: I want to take a nap after lunch. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses a desire to take a 昼寝 after having lunch.

疲れているから、今日は昼寝をしよう。 ・Translation: Because I'm tired, I'll take a nap today. ・Explanation: This sentence explains the reason for taking a 昼寝—fatigue.

The word 昼寝 is a compound word: ⚫︎昼 (hiru) which means "daytime" or "noon." ⚫︎寝 (ne) which means "sleep" or "to sleep." The combination literally means "daytime sleep."