Definitions

mèi to sleep soundly

Etymology

Originally depicts a person () sleeping on a bed () inside a house (). Later written into a phonosemantic compound. 𪧇 represents the meaning and represents the sound.

About

The character "寐" has historically denoted the state of sleep, with its structure combining the roof radical 宀 to imply a sheltered resting place and the component 未, which primarily provides phonetic guidance while possibly evoking associations with dusk or conclusion. Etymologically, it has been consistently used in classical texts to refer to sleeping or falling asleep, maintaining this central meaning across centuries without substantial alteration. Over time, while its core definition remains tied to sleep, the character has developed a more literary resonance, often appearing in fixed expressions that convey subconscious yearnings or thoughts intertwined with the realm of dreams.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他夜晚难以入

tā yè wǎn nán yǐ rù mèi

He finds it hard to fall asleep at night.

她在梦里微笑。

tā zài mèng mèi lǐ wēi xiào

She smiles in her sleep.

婴儿安在摇篮中。

yīng ér ān mèi zài yáo lán zhōng

The baby sleeps peacefully in the cradle.

因为噪音他无法入

yīn wèi zào yīn tā wú fǎ rù mèi

Because of the noise, he cannot fall asleep.

尽管白天很累晚上他却难以入

jǐn guǎn bái tiān hěn lèi wǎn shàng tā què nán yǐ rù mèi

Even though he is tired during the day, he finds it hard to fall asleep at night.

月光下她静如婴儿。

yuè guāng xià tā jìng mèi rú yīng ér

Under the moonlight, she sleeps as peacefully as a baby.

在那些孤独的夜晚他常因忧虑而无法入

zài nà xiē gū dú de yè wǎn tā cháng yīn yōu lǜ ér wú fǎ rù mèi

In those lonely nights, he often cannot fall asleep due to worry.

唯有在深沉的梦中他才能暂时忘却现实的烦恼。

wéi yǒu zài shēn chén de mèng mèi zhōng tā cái néng zàn shí wàng què xiàn shí de fán nǎo

Only in deep sleep can he temporarily forget the troubles of reality.