高枕(たかまくら)

たかまくら
noun
sleeping soundly; a high pillow
daily-lifeemotion
1. a high pillow
A tall, raised pillow. The literal meaning, much less common in everyday speech than the idiomatic use.
高枕(たかまくら)を使(つか)う。
To use a high pillow.
昔(むかし)は高枕(たかまくら)が一般的(いっぱんてき)だった。
High pillows used to be common in the old days.
祖父(そふ)は今(いま)でも高枕(たかまくら)でないと眠(ねむ)れない。
My grandfather still can't sleep without a high pillow.
2. sleeping in peace; resting easy; freedom from worry
An idiom meaning to sleep soundly and without anxiety, by extension to be free of worry. Used especially in the expression 高枕(たかまくら)で寝(ね)る/眠(ねむ)る.
高枕(たかまくら)で寝(ね)られる。
I can sleep without worry.
仕事(しごと)が終(お)わって、やっと高枕(たかまくら)で眠(ねむ)れる。
Now that work is done, I can finally sleep easy.
借金(しゃっきん)を返(かえ)し終(お)わるまでは、とても高枕(たかまくら)で眠(ねむ)れない。
Until I finish paying off the debt, I can hardly sleep in peace.

Literally "high pillow." The idiomatic sense comes from the historical idea that one can only afford a comfortable, raised pillow when one has nothing to fear or be vigilant about.

Common collocations

  • 高枕(たかまくら)で寝(ね)る: to sleep without worry
  • 高枕(たかまくら)で眠(ねむ)る: to sleep soundly
  • 高枕(たかまくら)をかく: to rest easy, take it easy (set phrase)

Usage

The figurative sense is far more common in modern Japanese. Often appears in negative form (高枕(たかまくら)では寝(ね)られない) to express ongoing anxiety.

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 安眠(あんみん) (peaceful sleep)
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Added 2026.5.29 11:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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