Meanings of 寐
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About 寐
Podcast: 寐
Podcast: 寐
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AI Study Notes for 寐
睡 (shuì) — use 寐 for a more literary or poetic context, while 睡 is more common in everyday speech.
While 寐 is a beautiful and expressive term, it is more formal and may come across as literary or poetic, which is important to note in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 寐而不知 (mèi ér bù zhī), meaning 'to sleep soundly and be unaware.' Be cautious with pronunciation, as it can easily be confused with similar-sounding words.
Although 寐 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it can be linked to related vocabulary about sleep, such as 睡觉 (shuìjiào) and 眠 (mián). Learners should focus on recognizing its literary usage to enhance their reading comprehension of classical texts.
Learners often confuse 寐 with 睡 (shuì), which is a more common term for sleep. For instance, saying '我昨晚寐得很好' (Wǒ zuó wǎn mèi dé hěn hǎo) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我昨晚睡得很好' (Wǒ zuó wǎn shuì dé hěn hǎo).
Pronunciation of 寐
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Etymology of 寐
A bed 爿 in a house 宀; 未 provides the pronunciation
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 寐
- 1The giveawayA bed 爿 in a house 宀; 未 provides the pronunciation
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 寐? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 寐?
Decomposition of 寐
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 寐?
How to say sleep; asleep in Chinese
“sleep; asleep” in Chinese is寐
The character 寐 (mèi) means 'to sleep' or 'asleep,' often used in a literary or poetic context. It conveys a sense of deep or sound sleep, emphasizing tranquility and restfulness. While commonly understood, it is less frequently used in everyday conversation compared to more common terms for sleep.
When to use 寐
While 寐 is a beautiful and expressive term, it is more formal and may come across as literary or poetic, which is important to note in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 寐而不知 (mèi ér bù zhī), meaning 'to sleep soundly and be unaware.' Be cautious with pronunciation, as it can easily be confused with similar-sounding words.
寐 or something close to it
睡 (shuì) — use 寐 for a more literary or poetic context, while 睡 is more common in everyday speech.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 寐 with 睡 (shuì), which is a more common term for sleep. For instance, saying '我昨晚寐得很好' (Wǒ zuó wǎn mèi dé hěn hǎo) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我昨晚睡得很好' (Wǒ zuó wǎn shuì dé hěn hǎo).
Write 寐
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Practice writing 寐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 寐
寐 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
她是一朵奇异无比的洁白的雪莲花, 是他梦____以求的花朵.
She was a wonderful white snow - flower, which he had desired infinitely.
Example Sentences for 寐 (3)
Word Family of 寐
Compound Meaning
What does 梦寐以求 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 寐
No, 寐 is more often found in literary or poetic contexts rather than in daily speech.
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