眠(ねむ)い

ねむい
adjective (i-adjective)
sleepy
1. sleepy, drowsy
Feeling the need or desire to sleep. The state of being tired and wanting to sleep.
とても眠(ねむ)いです。
I'm very sleepy.
昨日(きのう)よく眠(ねむ)れなかったから眠(ねむ)いです。
I'm sleepy because I couldn't sleep well yesterday.
眠(ねむ)くなってきました。
I'm getting sleepy.
～くなる for becoming
朝(あさ)から眠(ねむ)くて、仕事(しごと)ができませんでした。
I was sleepy since morning and couldn't do my work.
子供(こども)たちは夜(よる)遅(おそ)くまで遊(あそ)んでいたので、今日(きょう)はとても眠(ねむ)そうな顔(かお)をしています。
The children were playing until late at night, so today they have very sleepy faces.
眠(ねむ)そう = looks sleepy

眠(ねむ)い is an i-adjective describing the state of feeling sleepy or drowsy.

FORMS:

  • Verb: 眠(ねむ)る (to sleep)
  • Noun: 眠(ねむ)り (sleep), 眠(ねむ)さ (sleepiness)
  • Adverb: 眠(ねむ)く (眠(ねむ)くなる = to become sleepy)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 眠(ねむ)くなる: to become sleepy
  • 眠(ねむ)そう: to look sleepy
  • とても眠(ねむ)い: very sleepy
  • 眠(ねむ)くて仕方(しかた)ない: so sleepy I can't help it
  • 眠(ねむ)い目(め)をこする: to rub sleepy eyes

KANJI COMPOUNDS:

  • 睡眠(すいみん): sleep (formal)
  • 睡眠不足(すいみんぶそく): lack of sleep
  • 仮眠(かみん): nap
  • 安眠(あんみん): restful sleep

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 疲(つか)れた: tired (physical exhaustion)
  • だるい: sluggish, listless
  • 眠(ねむ)たい: sleepy (variant, slightly more casual)

NOTE:
眠(ねむ)い specifically describes wanting to sleep, while 疲(つか)れた is about physical/mental exhaustion. You can be 疲(つか)れた without being 眠(ねむ)い, and vice versa.

basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:24 · Revised 2026.2.19 11:19
00500/00872_nemui