休む
yasumu
To take a rest in Japanese is to say 休む (yasumu).
休む is used when you stop working or performing an activity to relax or recover strength. Depending on the context, it can also mean to be absent from school or work. If you wish to specifically refer to taking a formal leave of absence or taking time off from work or school, you should use the phrase 休みを取る instead.
Which one should you use?
While 休む is the general verb for resting or being absent, 休みを取る is the specific phrase used for taking formal time off from an institution like a workplace or school.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite version of 休む is 休みます. To make a polite request meaning 'please rest' or 'please take a break', you use the te-form 休んで and add ください to create 休んでください.
How do you pronounce it?
yasumu
Did you know?
- The character 休 is a compound of 'person' 人 and 'tree' 木, pictographically representing a person leaning against a tree to rest.
- In certain professional contexts, apologizing for 休む is considered a vital social ritual to show respect for the harmony of the group.
- While 休む means to rest, the noun form 休み is used to describe everything from a short ten minute break to a national holiday.
Examples in context
- 少し休みましょう。Let's rest a little.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 休む, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
