Definitions

jué (verb) to feel; to sense; to realize
jué (adjective) to be aware; conscious
jiào (noun) sleep; nap

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and a remnant of represents the sound. Simplified from .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "觉" originates from the traditional form "覺", structurally formed by the component "學" positioned above "見", creating a compound that associates learning with seeing to express the idea of awakening or comprehension. Etymologically, it initially denoted the physical act of waking from sleep and extending to mental awareness, with "見" emphasizing sight as a foundational metaphor for perception. Over time, its semantic scope broadened to include the verbal meaning of to feel or to realize, pronounced "jué", and the nominal meaning of sleep, pronounced "jiào", the latter evolving from the cyclical relationship between sleeping and waking states. The simplified version "觉" replaces the top with "学" and the bottom with "见", preserving the original compositional rationale while altering the graphic form.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

得今天很好。

Wǒ juéde jīntiān hěn hǎo.

I think today is very good.

我要睡了。

Wǒ yào shuìjiào le.

I am going to sleep.

我感很开心。

Wǒ gǎnjué hěn kāixīn.

I feel very happy.

察到问题。

Tā juéchá dào wèntí.

He detected the problem.

民族醒很重要。

Mínzú juéxǐng hěn zhòngyào.

National awakening is very important.

他的悟很高。

Tā de juéwù hěn gāo.

His level of consciousness is very high.

我的直告诉我的。

Wǒ de zhíjué gàosu wǒ de.

My intuition told me so.

那只是你的错而已。

Nà zhǐshì nǐ de cuòjué éryǐ.

That is merely your illusion.