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    Chinese Grammar

    The Verb 睡觉 (shuìjiào): To Sleep

    Actions & Events

    Structure

    Subject + 睡觉

    Explanation

    睡觉 (shuìjiào) is a Chinese verb meaning "to sleep." It is the standard everyday word for sleeping and is a separable verb, meaning other elements like duration or frequency can be inserted between 睡 and 觉.

    Examples

    • 昨晚我十一点才睡觉，今天好困。

      zuówǎn wǒ shíyī diǎn cái shuìjiào, jīntiān hǎo kùn.

      Last night I didn't go to sleep until eleven, so I'm really sleepy today.

    • 宝宝每天要睡觉十个小时左右。

      bǎobao měitiān yào shuìjiào shí ge xiǎoshí zuǒyòu.

      Babies need to sleep about ten hours a day.

    • 你先去睡觉吧，不用等我了。

      nǐ xiān qù shuìjiào ba, bùyòng děng wǒ le.

      Go ahead and go to sleep first; you don't need to wait for me.

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    The Verb 睡觉 (shuìjiào): To Sleep | Chinese Grammar