休息
xiūxí
In Chinese, the phrase for 'rest' is 休息 (xiūxí).
休息 refers to relief from exertion or a state of quiet and recreation. It functions as both a noun and an intransitive verb meaning to take repose. You can use 休息 as a modifier to describe specific periods, such as 休息时间 (rest time or break time). While it can include sleeping, it is a general term that covers sitting down, taking a break from work or any form of relaxation.
Meaning: relief from exertion, state of quiet and recreation (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 休息 is a compound of two parts: 休, which means to stop or cease and 息, which means to breathe or relax.
Which one should you use?
The term 休息 is distinct from 睡觉 (to sleep), as 休息 refers to general relaxation and does not necessarily imply sleeping. For a more formal way to indicate a short break or resting period during an activity, you can use 休憩. Conversely, in informal settings, you might use 歇 or the expression 休息一下.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To make a request or a statement about a short break sound more natural and less abrupt, you can add 一下 after the verb, resulting in 休息一下 (to rest a bit).
How do you pronounce it?
xiūxí
Did you know?
- The character 休 is a pictograph of a person 人 leaning against a tree 木, visually depicting the act of resting.
- In some contexts, 休息 can be used to describe the 'death' of a person, similar to the English phrase 'eternal rest'.
- While 休息 describes general rest, the Chinese language has a specific concept called 养生 (yǎngshēng), which refers to a holistic 'cultivation of life' involving specific rests to maintain health.
Examples in context
- 周日我休息。I rest on Sunday.This sentence shows how to state when you rest using 休息.Tatoeba #4764667 by ryanwoo, translation #4754195 by coolazice
- 好好休息吧！Have a good rest!This sentence is a way to wish someone a good rest using 休息.Tatoeba #4887549 by musclegirlxyp, translation #5941364 by peterius
- 湯姆該休息。Tom should rest.This sentence uses 休息 to express that someone should rest.Tatoeba #13150965 by LeviHighway, translation #12715109 by CK
- 你工作太辛苦了，休息一下吧。You're working too hard, take a break.
- 好的，我需要放松一下。Alright, I need to relax for a bit.
- 对，我们可以好好休息。Yes, we can rest well.
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are chatting in the office during a break.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你最近很忙，要注意休息。Nǐ zuìjìn hěn máng, yào zhùyì xiūxi.You have been very busy lately, you need to remember to rest.
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢，我也觉得需要休息一下。Xièxiè, wǒ yě juédé xūyào xiūxi yīxià.Thanks, I also feel like I need to rest a bit.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，周末你应该好好休息。Hàorán, zhōumò nǐ yīnggāi hǎohǎo xiūxi.Haoran, you should get some good rest this weekend.
- 浩然 Haoran我会的，晓雯。Wǒ huì de, Xiǎowén.I will, Xiaowen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rest” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
