觉 (jiào) — sleep
Definition
Here 觉 (jiào) is a colloquial way to say "fall asleep" — used after 睡, as in 睡了觉. The common reading jué covers "feel / sense."
verb
sleep
Easily confused
- 学xuélook-aliketo learn, to study
- 叫jiàosound-aliketo be called; to call (a name)
- 搅jiǎolook-aliketo stir, to mix
- 校jiàosound-aliketo proofread, to check, to collate (bound form, used in compounds)
- 较jiàosound-alike(adverb) relatively, comparatively, rather (modifying an adjective)
- 窖jiàosound-alikecellar, pit (for underground storage)
Examples
- ，。Tā shuì jiào le, bié chǎo xǐng tā.He has fallen asleep; don't wake him up.
- ，。Xiǎo bǎo bao gāng shuì jiào, wǒ men jiù qīng shēng shuō huà ba.The baby just fell asleep, so let's speak softly.
- 。Měi tiān wǔ fàn hòu tā dōu huì shuì jiào yí huì r.After lunch every day he will sleep for a while.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 覺; 觉 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦥯
𦥯𦥯覺jué
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 覺 pairs 見, a part that means see, with 𦥯, a part that gives the sound; simplified 觉 is a later abbreviation.
Grammar
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