min4眠
Jyutpingmin4
Yalemìhn
Definition
To sleep, or to take a nap; an informal way of saying "to sleep".
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Using 眠 instead of 瞓覺 adds a slightly more literary or poetic flair to your speech, even though it is still widely understood. It is frequently used when describing a short rest or a nap, often paired with the reduplication 眠一眠 to emphasize the brevity of the sleep. It sounds more relaxed and less clinical than the standard 睡眠.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where 眠 is often restricted to formal or literary contexts like 失眠. In Cantonese, it is perfectly acceptable to use it in casual conversation, but using it too frequently can make you sound like you are trying to be overly dramatic or poetic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
