昼寝
hirune[çiɾɯ̟ne̞]
In Japanese, the word for nap is 昼寝 (hirune).
昼寝 is the most common and neutral term for a short period of sleep during the day. It is distinct from terms used for regular night's sleep, such as 睡眠 or 寝る. Note that the word 毛羽立てる also exists in Japanese but refers to forming a fuzzy surface on fabric or leather.
Meaning: a short period of sleep, especially during the day (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 昼 (daytime) and 寝 (sleep), literally meaning "day sleep".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Adding the honorific prefix お to the word to create お昼寝 makes it sound softer. This version is often used when talking to or about children.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the noun 昼寝 as a verb meaning "to take a nap", you add the verb する to create 昼寝する.
How do you pronounce it?
hirune
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the term 仮眠 (kamin) is used to describe a 'power nap' in professional or medical contexts, whereas 昼寝 (hirune) sounds much more casual and leisurely.
- The character 昼 in 昼寝 also appears in the word for 'lunch', which is 昼食 (chuushoku), linking the concepts of midday rest and midday meals.
- The kanji used in 昼寝 are fundamentally different from the characters used for a regular night's sleep, such as 睡眠, emphasizing the temporal difference.
Examples in context
- 昼寝したら？Why don't you take a nap?This sentence is useful for suggesting that someone take a nap using 昼寝.Tatoeba #10741316 by small_snow, translation #2545065 by CK
- お昼寝中よ。She's taking a nap.This sentence is useful for describing someone who is currently taking a nap using 昼寝.Tatoeba #10948356 by small_snow, translation #1648881 by Spamster
- 昼寝しようっと。I'm going to take a nap.This sentence is useful for expressing an intention to take a nap using 昼寝.Tatoeba #9196369 by small_snow, translation #1890992 by CK
- 長いミーティングの後は、昼寝をすることが大切です。It's important to take a nap after a long meeting.
- テレビを見ていたら、ついにうたた寝をしてしまった。While watching TV, I unintentionally dozed off.
- お昼ごはんの後、ちょっとまどろんで過ごすのが最近の習慣なんです。Lately, taking a short nap after lunch has become my habit.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta is feeling sleepy at his desk during the afternoon.
- 結衣 Yui少し昼寝をする？Sukoshi hirune o suru?Do you want to take a short nap?
- 健太 Kentaうん、少し昼寝したいな。Un, sukoshi hirune shitai na.Yeah, I want to take a nap.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、ここで昼寝してもいいよ。Jaa, koko de hirune shite mo ii yo.Then, you can nap here.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう、助かるよ。Arigatou, tasukaru yo.Thanks, that helps a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nap” translations and entries 昼寝, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
