醒

xǐng

星 + 酉

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

xǐng (verb) to wake up; to be awake

xǐng (verb) to become aware; to realize

xǐng (verb) to sober up

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 酉 represents the meaning and 星 represents the sound.

Semantic: 酉 Phonetic: 星

About

The character 醒 means to wake up, become sober, or regain consciousness. It is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 酉 (a wine vessel) on the left, which categorizes it with terms related to alcohol and intoxication. The right component, 星 (star), provides the phonetic cue. Originally, 醒 specifically described sobering up from drunkenness to regain clarity. This meaning naturally extended to waking from sleep and later to achieving mental alertness or recognizing a truth.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我早上七点醒来。

Wǒ zǎoshang qī diǎn xǐnglái.

I wake up at seven in the morning.

快醒醒，要迟到了。

Kuài xǐng xǐng, yào chídào le.

Wake up quickly, you're going to be late.

咖啡能帮助人清醒。

Kāfēi néng bāngzhù rén qīngxǐng.

Coffee can help people stay alert.

闹钟没能把他叫醒。

Nàozhōng méi néng bǎ tā jiàoxǐng.

The alarm clock failed to wake him up.

他刚刚从梦中惊醒。

Tā gānggāng cóng mèng zhōng jīngxǐng.

He was just startled awake from a dream.

这件事给我敲响了警醒。

Zhè jiàn shì gěi wǒ qiāo xiǎng le jǐngxǐng.

This incident served as a wake-up call for me.

寒冷的空气让他瞬间清醒。

Hánlěng de kōngqì ràng tā shùnjiān qīngxǐng.

The cold air made him instantly sober.

春天让沉睡的万物苏醒。

Chūntiān ràng chénshuì de wànwù sūxǐng.

Spring revives all slumbering things.

Related Characters

Component: 星

Component: 酉

醒