昏昏欲睡
hūnhūnyùshuì
The English word 'sleepy' is translated into Chinese using several terms, with 昏昏欲睡 (hūnhūnyùshuì) being the default form. Wiktionary also lists 睏 / 困 (kùn) and 瞌睡 (kēshuì).
Meaning: feeling the need for sleep (adj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 昏昏欲睡 | hūnhūnyùshuì |
| 睏 / 困 | kùn |
| 瞌睡 | kēshuì |
| 睏倦 / 困倦 | kùnjuàn |
The term 瞌睡 is most commonly used in the verb phrase 打瞌睡, which means 'to doze off' or 'to nod off'.
What does it mean word for word?
The idiom 昏昏欲睡 literally means 'dizzy and wanting to sleep'.
Which one should you use?
While 困 is the most common way to say 'sleepy' in daily conversation, 昏昏欲睡 is more descriptive and literary.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
困倦 is a more formal and written term for 'sleepy' or 'fatigued' compared to the colloquial 困.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you are 'extremely sleepy', you can add the complement 得不行 after the adjective 困 to form 困得不行.
How do you pronounce it?
hūnhūnyùshuì
Did you know?
- The word 困 is so versatile that it can describe a city under siege, as both a person and a city can be 'trapped' and exhausted.
- The character 睏 for 'sleepy' contains the radical for 'eye' (目), suggesting that sleepiness is a sensation felt directly through the eyes.
- In some traditional contexts, feeling 'sleepy' during a formal lecture was historically viewed as a lack of mental energy or 'Qi' rather than just a lack of rest.
Examples in context
- 昨晚我熬夜了，现在很困。Last night I stayed up late, now I am very sleepy.
- 我忙了一整天，现在想睡觉了。I've been busy all day, now I want to sleep.
- 昨晚熬夜太晚了，我现在困得不行。I stayed up too late last night, now I am extremely sleepy.
- 开车前吃了一顿丰盛的晚餐，我感觉很犯困。I had a hearty dinner before driving, and now I feel very sleepy.
- 听讲座时，我感到昏昏欲睡。Tīng jiǎngzuò shí, wǒ gǎndào hūnhūn yùshuì.I felt sleepy while listening to the lecture.
- 由于昨晚没睡好，他现在昏昏欲睡。Yóuyú zuówǎn méi shuì hǎo, tā xiànzài hūnhūn yùshuì.Because he didn't sleep well last night, he is feeling sleepy now.
- 窗外的雨声让我昏昏欲睡。Chuāngwài de yǔshēng ràng wǒ hūnhūn yùshuì.The sound of rain outside the window makes me feel sleepy.
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are studying together in the library.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，你是不是昏昏欲睡？Jiāyí, nǐ shì bú shì hūnhūn yùshuì?Jiayi, are you feeling sleepy?
- 佳怡 Jiayi是的，我太累了。Shì de, wǒ tài lèi le.Yes, I am too tired.
- 伟 Wei我们要不要休息一下？Wǒmen yào bú yào xiūxi yíxià?Should we take a break?
- 佳怡 Jiayi好主意，我们走吧。Hǎo zhǔyì, wǒmen zǒu ba.Good idea, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleepy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 睏, CC BY-SA 4.0.
