shīmián: 失眠 - Insomnia, To Suffer from Insomnia

• Keywords: shīmián, shī mián, 失眠, insomnia in Chinese, can't sleep in Chinese, have trouble sleeping Chinese, Chinese for insomnia, what is shīmián, Chinese word for sleeplessness.
• Summary: Learn how to say you “can't sleep” in Chinese with the essential term 失眠 (shīmián). While it directly translates to “insomnia,” it's used far more commonly and casually in Mandarin than its English equivalent. Whether you're up all night from stress, coffee, or excitement, this page will teach you how to use 失眠 (shīmián) naturally in conversations, understand its cultural context related to modern pressures, and distinguish it from similar phrases like “睡不着 (shuì bu zháo)”.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shīmián
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To suffer from insomnia; the condition of being unable to sleep.
• In a Nutshell: 失眠 (shīmián) is the primary way to express the idea of having trouble sleeping in Chinese. Unlike the English word “insomnia,” which can sound like a serious medical diagnosis, 失眠 is used for everything from a single restless night to a chronic condition. It perfectly captures that frustrating feeling of lying in bed, wanting to sleep, but being unable to.

• 失 (shī): To lose, to miss, or to fail. Think of it as losing something you are supposed to have, like losing your keys (失钥) or, in this case, losing sleep.
• 眠 (mián): To sleep or slumber. The radical on the left is 目 (mù), which means “eye”. This character vividly paints a picture of closing one's eyes for sleep.
• Together, 失眠 (shīmián) literally means “to lose sleep,” a straightforward and memorable combination for learners.

In Chinese culture, discussing 失眠 (shīmián) is a very common and relatable topic. It lacks the strong clinical weight of “insomnia” in the West and is more akin to saying “I had a sleepless night” or “I couldn't get to sleep.” A key cultural driver behind the frequent discussion of 失眠 is the intense social and academic pressure known as 内卷 (nèijuǎn), or “involution.” The constant competition in school and the workplace leads to high levels of stress (压力 - yālì) and anxiety (焦虑 - jiāolǜ), which are openly acknowledged as primary causes of sleeplessness. Complaining about 失眠 can be a way to express one's diligence, stress, or worries in a socially acceptable way. Furthermore, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, 失眠 is often seen as a symptom of an internal imbalance, such as “excessive liver fire” (肝火旺盛 - gānhuǒ wàngshèng), which is linked to stress and anger. Therefore, the solution might not be a sleeping pill, but rather herbal teas or acupuncture to restore balance to the body's 气 (qì).

失眠 (shīmián) is a versatile word used in both casual and formal contexts.

• As a Verb: It's often used with 了 (le) to indicate a specific instance of sleeplessness.
  • e.g., 我昨晚失眠了。(Wǒ zuówǎn shīmián le.) - I had insomnia last night.
• As a Noun: It can refer to the chronic condition of insomnia.
  • e.g., 我的失眠问题越来越严重。(Wǒ de shīmián wèntí yuèláiyuè yánzhòng.) - My insomnia problem is getting more and more serious.
• In Conversation: Friends will casually complain to each other about 失眠. On social media like Weibo, it's common to see posts late at night with the hashtag #失眠#, where users share their late-night thoughts and frustrations.
• Connotation: The connotation is universally negative, as it describes a state of discomfort and fatigue. However, the act of complaining about it is neutral and very common.

• Example 1:
  • 我昨晚又失眠了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuówǎn yòu shīmián le.
  • English: I had insomnia again last night.
  • Analysis: A very common, everyday complaint. 又 (yòu) emphasizes that this is a recurring problem.
• Example 2:
  • 考试前的压力让我失眠了好几天。
  • Pinyin: Kǎoshì qián de yālì ràng wǒ shīmián le hǎo jǐ tiān.
  • English: The stress before the exam made me suffer from insomnia for several days.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly links 压力 (yālì) as the cause of 失眠.
• Example 3:
  • 你为什么看起来这么累？是失眠了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme kànqǐlái zhème lèi? Shì shīmián le ma?
  • English: Why do you look so tired? Did you have trouble sleeping?
  • Analysis: A common way to show concern for a friend or colleague.
• Example 4:
  • 医生，我最近失眠很严重，您能给我开点药吗？
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng, wǒ zuìjìn shīmián hěn yánzhòng, nín néng gěi wǒ kāi diǎn yào ma?
  • English: Doctor, my insomnia has been very serious recently. Can you prescribe some medicine for me?
  • Analysis: Shows how the term is also perfectly appropriate in a formal, medical context.
• Example 5:
  • 喝太多咖啡会导致失眠。
  • Pinyin: Hē tài duō kāfēi huì dǎozhì shīmián.
  • English: Drinking too much coffee can lead to insomnia.
  • Analysis: Here, 失眠 is used as a noun, the result of an action.
• Example 6:
  • 我有失眠的毛病，半夜总是醒。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǒu shīmián de máobìng, bànyè zǒngshì xǐng.
  • English: I have a problem with insomnia; I always wake up in the middle of the night.
  • Analysis: 毛病 (máobìng) means “problem” or “bad habit,” framing 失眠 as a chronic issue.
• Example 7:
  • 为了解决失眠问题，我开始睡前喝一杯热牛奶。
  • Pinyin: Wèile jiějué shīmián wèntí, wǒ kāishǐ shuìqián hē yībēi rè niúnǎi.
  • English: In order to solve my insomnia problem, I started drinking a glass of warm milk before bed.
  • Analysis: 失眠问题 (shīmián wèntí) is a common collocation meaning “the problem of insomnia.”
• Example 8:
  • 长期失眠对身体健康有很大影响。
  • Pinyin: Chángqī shīmián duì shēntǐ jiànkāng yǒu hěn dà yǐngxiǎng.
  • English: Long-term insomnia has a big impact on one's health.
  • Analysis: Using 长期 (chángqī) specifies that this is a chronic condition, not just a one-off night.
• Example 9:
  • 整晚都在想工作上的事，不失眠才怪呢！
  • Pinyin: Zhěng wǎn dōu zài xiǎng gōngzuò shàng de shì, bù shīmián cái guài ne!
  • English: I was thinking about work stuff all night, it'd be weird if I didn't have insomnia!
  • Analysis: A colloquial and slightly dramatic way to complain. …才怪呢 (…cái guài ne) is a common pattern meaning “it would be strange if not…”
• Example 10:
  • 很多人用听播客的方式来对抗失眠。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō rén yòng tīng bōkè de fāngshì lái duìkàng shīmián.
  • English: Many people use listening to podcasts as a way to combat insomnia.
  • Analysis: 对抗 (duìkàng) means “to fight against” or “to combat,” personifying 失眠 as an opponent.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 失眠 (shīmián) and 睡不着 (shuì bu zháo).

• 失眠 (shīmián): Refers to the general condition or state of “insomnia.” It's the name of the problem. You can use it to describe one night or a long-term issue. It functions as both a verb and a noun.
  • Correct: 我昨晚失眠了。(Wǒ zuówǎn shīmián le.) - I had insomnia last night. (Describes the overall state).
• 睡不着 (shuì bu zháo): Literally “can't fall asleep.” This is a resultative complement that describes the immediate inability to achieve the result of sleeping. It focuses on the action (or lack thereof) at a specific moment.
  • Correct: 我现在睡不着。(Wǒ xiànzài shuì bu zháo.) - I can't fall asleep right now.

How they work together: 失眠 is the problem, and 睡不着 is the symptom.

• Good example: 我昨晚失眠了，在床上翻来覆去，就是睡不着。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zuówǎn shīmián le, zài chuáng shàng fānláifùqù, jiùshì shuì bu zháo.
• English: I had insomnia last night; I tossed and turned in bed and just couldn't fall asleep.

Common Mistake: Using 睡不着 to describe the general condition.

• Incorrect: ~~我有睡不着的问题。~~ (Wǒ yǒu shuì bu zháo de wèntí.)
• Correct: 我有失眠的问题。(Wǒ yǒu shīmián de wèntí.) - I have a problem with insomnia.

• 睡不着 (shuì bu zháo) - The immediate inability to fall asleep; a symptom of 失眠.
• 睡着 (shuìzháo) - The opposite of 睡不着; “to fall asleep.”
• 熬夜 (áoyè) - To stay up late intentionally (to study, work, or party). This is a choice, whereas 失眠 is involuntary.
• 睡眠 (shuìmián) - The noun for “sleep” in a general or scientific sense (e.g., 睡眠质量 - shuìmián zhìliàng, “sleep quality”).
• 压力 (yālì) - Stress, pressure; a very common cause of 失眠.
• 焦虑 (jiāolǜ) - Anxiety, anxious; another common cause.
• 黑眼圈 (hēiyǎnquān) - Dark circles under the eyes; a visible result of 失眠.
• 安眠药 (ānmiányào) - Sleeping pills (literally “peaceful sleep medicine”).
• 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì) - To doze off, to nod off; what you do during the day when you had 失眠 the night before.
• 做梦 (zuòmèng) - To dream. While not a direct synonym, excessive or stressful dreaming (多梦 - duōmèng) is often associated with poor sleep quality and 失眠.