Learn 寝 through everyday situations involving sleep and rest. Remember the reading together with each complete word.
The idea
寝 has 13 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 寝る（ねる） means to sleep or go to bed; 寝坊（ねぼう） means oversleeping, and 昼寝（ひるね） means a nap.
| Word | Reading | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 寝る | ねる | I go to bed at eleven every night. |
| 寝坊 | ねぼう | I overslept this morning. |
| 昼寝 | ひるね | I take a nap after lunch. |
Examples
- 毎晩十一時に寝ます。I go to bed at eleven every night.
- 子供はもう寝ています。The child is already asleep.
- 今朝は寝坊しました。I overslept this morning.
- 昼ご飯の後で昼寝をします。I take a nap after lunch.
- ベッドに寝てください。Please lie down on the bed.
- 昨日はよく寝ました。I slept well yesterday.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
寝る can describe going to bed as well as sleeping, so context matters. 寝ています can mean someone is asleep; 寝坊 is not an ordinary nap.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 寝る in hiragana.
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ねる
寝る is ねる: the verb can mean going to bed.
Write the reading of 寝坊 in hiragana.
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ねぼう
寝坊 is ねぼう: it means oversleeping.
Choose the missing kanji: 昼＿（ひるね）［寝／起］.
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寝
寝 completes 昼寝（ひるね）, a daytime nap.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 寝る in hiragana.
Write the reading of 寝坊 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 昼＿（ひるね）［寝／起］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 寝 using the diagram, cover the table, and read 寝る and 寝坊. Then make a sentence about your bedtime.