Word
覚める
Meaning in Englishwake up, awaken, come to senses
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Word context
What it means
覚める means to wake up or become conscious after sleep, or to become aware of a fact or situation; it signifies a transition from an unconscious or dreamy state to clarity and is used as an intransitive ru-verb for both physical waking and figurative realization.
Main meanings
- wake up physically from sleep or from a dream
- become aware or realize something, i.e., come to one’s senses
- be awakened to reality or have an illusion dispelled
How to use it
覚める is used in casual and formal speech as an intransitive ru-verb. Common idioms include 目が覚める to wake up, and 夢から覚める to wake from a dream; in more reflective or narrative contexts you may encounter phrases that mean awakening to reality, while polite speech uses 目が覚めました to indicate morning waking.
Variants and close terms
- 目が覚める (me ga sameru) – wake up
- 目覚める (mezameru) – awakening, to become conscious or realize
- 覚ます (samasu) – to wake someone else up
Composition
- 覚: core sense of awakening, perception and memory; the root meaning relates to becoming aware
- る: verb ending that marks an ichidan (ru) verb
Word class
verb (ru-verb, ichidan)
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