1.
waking up, awakening
The act or moment of waking from sleep. Can describe the quality of how one wakes up.
今朝は目覚めがよかった。
I woke up feeling refreshed this morning.
春の目覚めとともに花が咲き始めた。
Flowers began to bloom with the awakening of spring.
コーヒーの香りで心地よい目覚めを迎えた。
I had a pleasant awakening to the aroma of coffee.
2.
awakening, realization
A figurative awakening — becoming aware of something new, developing a new consciousness or interest.
芸術への目覚め。
An awakening to art.
あの旅が自然への目覚めのきっかけだった。
That trip was what sparked my awakening to nature.
十代の頃に政治への目覚めを経験し、活動を始めた。
I experienced a political awakening in my teens and started getting involved.
USAGE:
The nominal form of the verb 目覚める (to wake up, to awaken). In sense 1, often used with adjectives describing how one wakes up: 目覚めがいい (wakes up well), 目覚めが悪い (wakes up poorly). In sense 2, the pattern ～への目覚め (awakening to ~) is very common.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 目覚めがいい: to wake up feeling good
- 目覚めが悪い: to wake up feeling groggy
- ～への目覚め: awakening to ~
- 目覚めを迎える: to experience an awakening