昼寝をする
hirune o suru
To take a nap in Japanese is 昼寝をする (hirune o suru).
The phrase is used to describe the act of sleeping briefly during the day.
Meaning: sleep briefly (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 昼寝 (hirune) means 'daytime sleep' and is composed of 昼 (daytime) and 寝 (sleep). This is followed by the particle を (o) and the verb する (suru), which means 'to do'.
Which one should you use?
In casual conversation, the particle を (o) is often omitted, resulting in 昼寝する (hirune suru).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is constructed by taking the noun 昼寝 (hirune) and adding the verb する (suru), meaning 'to do'.
How do you pronounce it?
hirune o suru
Did you know?
- While 昼寝 (hirune) is the general word for a nap, the concept of 居眠り (inemuri) literally means 'sleeping while staying', describing a state of being present but asleep.
- In some Japanese schools, a period of quiet rest or napping is part of the daily routine to help students recharge, much like a 'siesta' in other cultures.
- While 昼寝 is a standard nap, many people use the term うたた寝 (utata-ne) to describe the specific, involuntary act of nodding off or drifting into a light sleep while sitting up.
Examples in context
- お昼寝をすることにしたよ。I've decided to take a nap.This sentence shows a decision regarding 昼寝をする.Tatoeba #8522433 by small_snow, translation #2592654 by WestofEden
- ほとんど毎日、昼寝をするよ。I take a nap almost every day.This sentence describes the frequency of 昼寝をする.Tatoeba #10615122 by small_snow, translation #5177455 by AlanF_US
- すぐに諦めて昼寝をするかも知れない。Maybe I'll just give up soon and take a nap instead.This sentence expresses a possibility of 昼寝をする.Tatoeba #4727 by bunbuku, translation #350132 by human600
- お昼寝してもいいですか？May I take a nap?
- 今日は昼寝しようかな。I wonder if I should take a nap today.
- 昨日(きのう)は仮眠を取ったよ。I took a nap yesterday.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking at home in the afternoon.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さん、ちょっと疲れてるね。Kenta-san, chotto tsukareteru ne.Kenta, you look a little tired.
- 健太 Kentaうん、少しだけ昼寝をするよ。Un, sukoshi dake hirune o suru yo.Yeah, I'm going to take a nap for a bit.
- 陽葵 Himariいい考えだね。ゆっくり休んでね。Ii kangae da ne. Yukkuri yasunde ne.That's a good idea. Get some good rest.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう。後でまた話そう。Arigatou. Ato de mata hanasou.Thanks. Let's talk again later.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
