mei6寐
Jyutpingmei6
Yalemeih
Definition
To sleep.
writtendaily actions
How it's used
寐 is a literary morpheme that is almost never used in spoken Cantonese, where 瞓 is the standard term for sleep. You will mostly encounter it in set phrases like 夢寐以求 or in very formal writing. Using it in daily conversation will sound extremely unnatural or like you are reciting classical poetry.
Examples
You still haven't gone to sleep? You need to get up early tomorrow.
Related words
Common phrases
long-cherished
Common mistake
Do not use 寐 in daily speech as a direct substitute for 瞓. It is strictly a literary character and sounds archaic or pretentious in a casual context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
