Definition
休眠 (xiūmián) is a verb meaning 'to be dormant / hibernate', used for animals, volcanoes, or computers entering a low-activity state. Unlike 睡眠 (shuìmián), which is a noun for the regular sleep of humans or animals, 休眠 implies a temporary suspension of activity, not daily rest. It is also distinct from 沉睡 (chénshuì), which means 'to be fast asleep' and carries a poetic or literary tone.
verb
(biology) to be dormantto hibernate(volcano) to be inactivedormant(computing) to hibernatesleep mode
Examples
- 休眠。Běijíxióng zài hánlěng de dōngtiān huì jìnrù xiū mián zhuàngtài.Polar bears enter a dormant state during the cold winter.
- 休眠。Zhè zuò xiū mián huǒshān yǐjīng ānjìng le hěn duō nián.This dormant volcano has been quiet for many years.
- ，休眠。Línshí bú yòng diànnǎo shí, kěyǐ shèzhì xiū mián móshì lái shěng diàn.When not using the computer temporarily, you can set hibernate mode to save power.
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