Definition
睡 (shuì) is a single-character verb meaning 'to sleep', used when specifying duration (睡了八个小时) or time (十点睡). 睡觉 (shuì jiào) is a two-character verb-object compound meaning 'to go to sleep' or 'to sleep' as an activity; it cannot take a direct object and is separable (睡了一个觉).
verb
to sleep
Easily confused
- 捶chuílook-aliketo beat, to thump, to pound (with a stick or one's fist)
- 水shuǐsound-alikewater
- 锤chuílook-alike(noun) hammer
- 税shuìsound-aliketax
Examples
- 睡。Wǒ wǎnshàng shí diǎn shuì.I sleep at ten p.m.
- 睡。Tā shuì le bā gè xiǎoshí.He slept for eight hours.
- 睡？Nǐ shuì hǎo le ma?Did you sleep well?
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