寝る vs 眠る
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 寝る
Listen to 眠る
| 寝る | 眠る |
|---|---|
NE-ru verb (ru-verb, intransitive) | ねむる verb (ru-verb, intransitive) |
| to sleep; to go to bed | to sleep (be in a state of sleep) |
How they differ
眠る emphasizes the actual state of being asleep; 寝る can mean either 'to go to bed' or 'to sleep', while 眠る rarely means 'to go to bed' and focuses on being asleep (often used for deep or natural sleep).
When to use each
When to use 寝る: Use 寝る when you mean 'to go to bed' or in everyday phrases about sleeping/going to bed.
When to use 眠る: Use 眠る when you want to describe the state of being asleep or emphasize that someone is actually sleeping.
Side-by-side examples
- もう寝る時間だ。
(It's already time to go to bed.) - 赤ちゃんがぐっすり眠っている。
(The baby is sleeping soundly.)
Register & nuance: Both are neutral, but 眠る can sound slightly more literary or descriptive when talking about sleep itself.