1.
sleeping pill; sleep medication; hypnotic
Medication taken to induce or maintain sleep. In Japan most types require a prescription.
Compound of 睡眠 (sleep) + 薬 (medicine). The everyday term for prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids.
Common collocations
- 睡眠薬を飲む: to take a sleeping pill
- 睡眠薬を処方する: to prescribe sleeping pills
- 睡眠薬に頼る: to rely on sleeping pills
- 強い/弱い睡眠薬: strong/mild sleeping pills
Similar words
- 睡眠導入剤: sleep-inducing drug — more clinical term, technically distinguished but often used interchangeably
- 安定剤: tranquilizer — for anxiety rather than sleep, but sometimes confused