1.
sleepyhead; late riser; slugabed
A person who oversleeps or has difficulty waking up. Used affectionately or teasingly, especially toward children or close friends.
この寝坊助、早く起きなさい！
Wake up already, you sleepyhead!
弟は寝坊助で、毎朝母に起こされている。
My little brother is a sleepyhead and gets woken up by our mother every morning.
子どもの頃は寝坊助だったが、社会人になってからは自然と早起きになった。
I was a sleepyhead as a child, but I naturally became an early riser after I started working.
Compound of 寝坊 (oversleeping) + すけ (a suffix used to characterize a person, often with a playful or teasing tone). The すけ suffix appears in other character-describing words like 甘えんぼうすけ.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 寝坊助を起こす: to wake up a sleepyhead
- この寝坊助: you sleepyhead (affectionate scolding)
REGISTER:
Mostly informal and affectionate. Commonly used by parents addressing children or among close friends. Not used in formal or business contexts.
SIMILAR TERMS:
- 寝坊: oversleeping (the act itself, not the person)
- 朝寝坊: sleeping in, morning oversleeping