The Meaning of hirune [昼寝] In Japanese

昼寝
ひるね
Romaji: hirune N5

What does 昼寝 mean?

Translation and Meaning

nap, daytime nap

Definition

昼寝 means a nap taken during the day. For English speakers, it refers to a brief rest aimed at restoring alertness after lunch, often lasting around 20 to 40 minutes and practiced at home, work, or school depending on the setting.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • daytime rest to boost alertness
  • often associated with after-lunch energy dips
  • used as a noun and can appear in related phrases describing the act

Etymology

昼 noon + 寝 sleep, forming a native compound; the reading hirune.

Composition

  • 昼: day, noon
  • 寝: sleep
  • 昼寝 as a compound means a nap during the day

Usage

Used as a noun to denote the act of napping during daylight hours; in casual speech it appears frequently after lunch, while in formal contexts it is less common and may be described with different phrasing; the verb form 昼寝をする indicates performing the nap.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture the sun at noon (昼) and a sleepy face (寝) together; say hirune to remember the two-kanji meaning as a single daytime nap.

Variations

  • 仮眠 (かみん, kamin) — broader term for nap
  • 午睡 (ごすい, gosui) — daytime nap, more formal

Example Phrases

  • 職場の昼休みに私は昼寝をした。
    Shokuba no hiruyasumi ni watashi wa hirune o shita.
    Lista:
    • 職場の (shokuba no) – workplace’s
    • 昼休みに (hiruyasumi ni) – at lunchtime
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I (topic marker)
    • 昼寝を (hirune o) – nap (object marker)
    • した (shita) – did
    Core point: 「昼寝」 is a noun meaning nap; it takes を in 昼寝をした to express ‘to take a nap’; 「昼休み」 marks the time (during lunch break).
昼寝