1.
bedside; the area by one's pillow
The space right beside the head of a sleeping person, near the pillow. The spot where one keeps things to reach while lying down or where someone sits to attend to a sleeper.
枕元に水を置く。
To put water by the bedside.
目覚まし時計を枕元に置いて寝た。
I put the alarm clock by my pillow and went to sleep.
母は病気の子供の枕元に一晩中付き添っていた。
My mother stayed at the sick child's bedside all night long.
Compound of 枕 (pillow) + 元 (the area near). Refers specifically to the space by the head of someone lying down, as opposed to the foot of the bed (足元).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 枕元に置く: place at the bedside
- 枕元に立つ: stand at the bedside (often of a figure in a dream)
- 枕元に付き添う: attend at someone's bedside