醒 (xǐng) - To wake up & to awaken

醒Tone 3

xǐng ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

醒 · xǐng

To wake up;

to awaken;

to become sober;

to come to one's senses;

to realize.

To wake upto awakento become sober

Usage highlights

Wake upSober upAwakenCome to one's sensesWake up from a dreamWake up call

Synonyms

  • 醒觉— awaken, become aware
  • 清醒— sober, clear-headed
  • 觉悟— consciousness, awareness

Antonyms

  • 睡— sleep
  • 醉— drunk, intoxicated
  • 迷— confused, lost

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I wake up at 6 AM every morning (我每天早上6点醒来).
  • He needs to sober up before driving (他开车前需要醒酒).
  • The loud noise woke the baby (巨大的声响惊醒了婴儿).
  • It's time to wake up from the dream (该从梦中醒来了).
  • This incident made me realize the truth (这件事让我醒悟了).

Collocations

  • Wake up(醒来)
  • Sober up(醒酒)
  • Awaken(唤醒)
  • Come to one's senses(醒悟)
  • Wake up from a dream(梦醒)
  • Wake up call(醒钟)

Idioms

  • Wake up to reality(如梦初醒)
  • Sobering up to the truth(幡然醒悟)
  • A rude awakening(当头棒醒)
  • Wake up call(警醒)
  • Clear-headed and sharp-eyed(清醒醒目)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, 'waking up' often symbolizes enlightenment and gaining wisdom.
  • The character appears in Buddhist contexts referring to spiritual awakening and breaking free from illusions.
  • Used metaphorically in political contexts to describe national awakening or social consciousness movements.

FAQ