dǎkēshuì: 打瞌睡 - To Doze Off, Nod Off, Be Drowsy

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• Summary: Learn how to use 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì), the essential Chinese verb for describing the act of dozing off or nodding off, especially when you're supposed to be awake. This page breaks down its meaning, cultural implications in China, and provides numerous practical examples for how to use it when talking about being drowsy in class, at a meeting, or on the bus.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dǎ kēshuì
• Part of Speech: Verb Phrase (Separable Verb)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To doze off or nod off, usually unintentionally and briefly.
• In a Nutshell: 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) isn't about going to bed for the night (睡觉 shuìjiào) or taking a planned nap (午睡 wǔshuì). It's that specific, involuntary moment when you're fighting to stay awake—in a boring meeting, a warm classroom, or on a long bus ride—and your head starts to bob. It perfectly captures the physical action of nodding off when you're trying not to.

• 打 (dǎ): While its primary meaning is “to hit” or “to strike,” 打 is one of the most versatile characters in Chinese. Here, it functions as a prefix that means “to engage in” or “to perform” an action. Think of it like “to make” in `打电话 (dǎ diànhuà)` (to make a phone call). In this word, it initiates the action.
• 瞌 (kē): This character means “drowsy” or “sleepy.” It's composed of the radical 目 (mù), meaning “eye,” which makes perfect sense. This character is almost exclusively used in this specific word.
• 睡 (shuì): This is the common character for “to sleep,” also containing the “eye” radical 目 (mù).

Together, 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) literally means “to perform a drowsy sleep.” The combination vividly describes the act of briefly and unintentionally falling into a light sleep.

While dozing off is a universal human experience, the social implications can be more pronounced in Chinese culture. In a context governed by hierarchy and respect, such as a classroom or a business meeting, 打瞌睡 can be perceived as more than just being tired. It can signal a lack of interest, disrespect for the speaker (a teacher or a boss), and a poor attitude toward one's responsibilities. This contrasts slightly with some Western contexts, where dozing off might be more readily excused as a sign of being overworked or jet-lagged. In China, maintaining focus and showing engagement is a way of giving 面子 (miànzi), or “face,” to the person in authority. Dozing off can cause both the student/employee and the teacher/boss to lose face. It's tied to the cultural values of diligence, self-discipline, and showing proper respect.

打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) is a very common, everyday term used across all age groups.

• Informal Conversations: It's frequently used to complain about being tired or bored. You might hear students saying, “The history lecture was so boring, half the class was dozing off.”
• Workplace: An employee might discreetly admit to a colleague, “I drank two cups of coffee, but I'm still dozing off at my desk.” A boss might warn an employee, “别在会议上打瞌睡！ (Bié zài huìyì shàng dǎ kēshuì!)” - “Don't doze off in the meeting!”
• Social Media: Users on Weibo or WeChat might post a funny meme of a cat nodding off with a caption like, “星期一早上的我 (xīngqīyī zǎoshang de wǒ)” - “Me on Monday morning,” followed by the hashtag #打瞌睡.
• Connotation: The term is generally neutral (describing a state) but the context makes it negative. Dozing off in your own bed is fine, but dozing off while someone is talking to you is rude.

• Example 1:
  • 昨天晚上我没睡好，今天上课老是打瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ méi shuì hǎo, jīntiān shàngkè lǎoshì dǎ kēshuì.
  • English: I didn't sleep well last night, so I kept dozing off in class today.
  • Analysis: A classic example showing a cause-and-effect relationship. `老是 (lǎoshì)` means “always” or “constantly,” emphasizing the repeated nature of the action.
• Example 2:
  • 别打瞌睡了，老板在看你呢！
  • Pinyin: Bié dǎ kēshuì le, lǎobǎn zài kàn nǐ ne!
  • English: Stop dozing off, the boss is looking at you!
  • Analysis: This shows a direct command using `别 (bié)` for “don't.” The particle `呢 (ne)` adds a sense of urgency.
• Example 3:
  • 电影太无聊了，我看着看着就打起瞌睡来了。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐng tài wúliáo le, wǒ kànzhe kànzhe jiù dǎqǐ kēshuì lái le.
  • English: The movie was so boring that I started to doze off while watching it.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the `看着看着就 (kànzhe kànzhe jiù)` structure, which means “while watching, …” It implies an unintentional action that happens over time. `打起…来 (dǎqǐ…lái)` is a common pattern indicating the beginning of an action.
• Example 4:
  • 坐长途巴士的时候，我喜欢打瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Zuò chángtú bāshì de shíhou, wǒ xǐhuān dǎ kēshuì.
  • English: When I'm on a long-distance bus, I like to doze off.
  • Analysis: Here, 打瞌睡 is framed as a preference or a habit, showing a neutral, non-negative use of the term.
• Example 5:
  • 他累得在椅子上打了个瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Tā lèi de zài yǐzi shàng dǎ le ge kēshuì.
  • English: He was so tired that he dozed off for a bit in his chair.
  • Analysis: This is a key example of 打瞌睡 as a separable verb. `打 + 了个 + 瞌睡` inserts the measure word `个 (ge)` to indicate a single, short instance of dozing off.
• Example 6:
  • 为了不打瞌睡，我喝了一大杯咖啡。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bù dǎ kēshuì, wǒ hē le yī dà bēi kāfēi.
  • English: In order not to doze off, I drank a large cup of coffee.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `为了 (wèile)` to express purpose. It shows someone actively trying to prevent the action of dozing off.
• Example 7:
  • 看到学生打瞌睡，老师有点不高兴。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào xuéshēng dǎ kēshuì, lǎoshī yǒudiǎn bù gāoxìng.
  • English: The teacher was a little unhappy seeing the student dozing off.
  • Analysis: This directly illustrates the negative social consequence of 打瞌睡 in a formal setting like a classroom.
• Example 8:
  • 对不起，我昨天熬夜了，开会的时候打了一会儿瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ zuótiān áoyè le, kāihuì de shíhou dǎ le yīhuìr kēshuì.
  • English: I'm sorry, I stayed up all night yesterday and dozed off for a little while during the meeting.
  • Analysis: Another example of the separable verb usage. `一会儿 (yīhuìr)` is placed between `打` and `瞌睡` to specify the duration (“for a little while”). This is a common way to apologize for the behavior.
• Example 9:
  • 小猫蜷在沙发上，舒服地打着瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎo māo quán zài shāfā shàng, shūfu de dǎzhe kēshuì.
  • English: The kitten was curled up on the sofa, comfortably dozing.
  • Analysis: Using the aspect particle `着 (zhe)` after `打` indicates a continuous, ongoing state. This usage is often cute and endearing, especially when describing animals or babies.
• Example 10:
  • 你要是觉得困，就去打个瞌睡吧。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yàoshi juéde kùn, jiù qù dǎ ge kēshuì ba.
  • English: If you feel sleepy, just go take a little snooze.
  • Analysis: This is a gentle suggestion. Using `打个瞌睡` here is similar to saying “go rest your eyes for a bit.” It's informal and caring.

• 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) vs. 睡觉 (shuìjiào): This is the biggest pitfall for learners.
  • 睡觉 (shuìjiào) means “to sleep” in the general sense—going to bed at night, sleeping for hours. It is an intentional act.
  • 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) is “to doze off”—brief, light, and usually unintentional sleep when you're supposed to be awake.
  • Incorrect: `他上课的时候睡觉了。` (Tā shàngkè de shíhou shuìjiào le.) While grammatically possible, it implies he brought a pillow and went to sleep fully, which is an exaggeration.
  • Correct: `他上课的时候打瞌睡了。` (Tā shàngkè de shíhou dǎ kēshuì le.) - He nodded off in class.
• 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) vs. 困 (kùn):
  • 困 (kùn) is an adjective meaning “sleepy” or “drowsy.” It's the *feeling* or *state* of being tired.
  • 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) is the *action* that results from feeling 困.
  • Example: `因为我很困 (kùn)，所以我开始打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì)。` (Because I was very sleepy, I started to doze off.)
• Remember it's a Separable Verb: You can (and often must) insert things between 打 and 瞌睡. The most common insertions are aspect particles like `了 (le)` and `着 (zhe)`, or complements of duration/quantity like `一会儿 (yīhuìr)` or `个 (ge)`.
  • Correct: `我打了一会儿瞌睡。` (I dozed for a little while.)
  • Incorrect: `我打瞌睡了一会儿。` (This is grammatically awkward and unnatural.)

• `困 (kùn)` - The adjective for “sleepy” or “drowsy”; the feeling that precedes `打瞌睡`.
• `犯困 (fànkùn)` - A common verb phrase meaning “to feel sleepy” or “to get drowsy.” Very similar to `觉得困 (juéde kùn)`.
• `睡觉 (shuìjiào)` - The general verb for “to sleep.” Antonym in the sense of intentional vs. unintentional sleep.
• `午睡 (wǔshuì)` - To take a noon nap. A planned, intentional period of rest.
• `熬夜 (áoyè)` - To pull an all-nighter or stay up very late. A common cause of `打瞌睡`.
• `打哈欠 (dǎ hāqian)` - To yawn. An action that often happens when you are about to `打瞌睡`.
• `没精神 (méi jīngshen)` - “To have no energy,” “to be listless.” A common state that leads to dozing off.
• `眯一会儿 (mī yīhuìr)` - “To rest one's eyes for a bit” or “to take a catnap.” This is more intentional than `打瞌睡`.