瞓覺
fan3 gaau3
To say 'go to bed' in Cantonese, use 瞓覺 (fan3 gaau3).
The phrase 瞓覺 is used to mean the act of lying down to sleep. If you want to emphasize the action of moving to sleep, you can say 去瞓覺, adding the verb 去 (to go) before the phrase. If you are speaking colloquially with close friends or young people, you might say 瞓覺啦 to mean 'Go to bed.'
Meaning: to lie down to sleep (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 瞓, which means to sleep or rest and 覺, which means sleep or a state of slumber.
Which one should you use?
While 瞓覺 refers to the act of sleeping, the phrase 上床 specifically means 'to get into bed' and is used to emphasize the physical act of getting into bed.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that someone has already gone to sleep, you can add the aspect marker 咗 between the verb and the noun to form 瞓咗覺.
How do you pronounce it?
fan3 gaau3
Did you know?
- To describe a very deep sleep, one might say 瞓死咗, which literally means 'slept to death'.
- If you use the phrase 上床 (to get into bed) in a romantic context, it can carry a heavy sexual connotation in Cantonese, much like 'going to bed' can in English, but often feels more direct.
- Cantonese has a specific term for 'dozing off' or 'nodding off' called 瞌眼瞓, which describes the heavy feeling of the eyelids rather than the act of lying down.
Examples in context
- 我要去瞓覺喇。It's time for me to go to bed.This sentence is useful for saying you are going to bed.Tatoeba #386773 by nickyeow, translation #5264559 by Cithara
- 夠鐘上床瞓覺喇。It's time to go to bed.This sentence is useful for saying it is time to go to bed.Tatoeba #1324913 by nickyeow, translation #31220 by CK
- 你瞓覺之前最好整熄啲火先。You had better put out the fire before you go to bed.This sentence uses 瞓覺 to describe an action taken before going to sleep.Tatoeba #616141 by nickyeow, translation #268892 by CM
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is talking in their bedroom at night.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你準備好去瞓覺未呀？nei5 zeon5 bei6 hou2 heoi3 fan3 gaau3 mei6 aa3?Are you ready to go to bed?
- 子健 Tsz Kin我仲想睇多一集片。ngo5 zung6 soeng2 tai2 do1 jat1 kap3 pin2.I want to watch one more episode.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan唔好太夜，早啲去瞓覺啦。m4 hou2 taai3 je6, zou2 di1 heoi3 fan3 gaau3 laa1.Don't stay up too late, go to bed early.
- 子健 Tsz Kin好啦，我而家就去。hou2 laa1, ngo5 ji4 gaa1 zau6 heoi3.Okay, I'll go now.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
