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

• Keywords: da keshui, 打瞌睡, doze off in Chinese, nod off, fall asleep in class Chinese, sleepy Chinese, drowsy, Chinese verb for dozing, separable verb
• Summary: “打瞌睡” (dǎ kēshuì) is a common Chinese verb phrase that perfectly describes the act of dozing off or nodding off, especially when you're supposed to be awake. It captures that moment of involuntarily falling into a light sleep in class, during a meeting, or on the bus. This page will break down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage, helping you distinguish it from the general term for “sleep” (睡觉) and use it naturally in conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dǎ kēshuì
• Part of Speech: Separable Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To doze off, nod off, or fall into a light, unintended sleep.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine you're in a warm, boring lecture. Your eyelids feel heavy, and your head starts to dip forward before you jerk it back up. That involuntary act of briefly falling asleep while sitting up is exactly what “打瞌睡” (dǎ kēshuì) means. It's not about going to bed to sleep; it's about losing the fight against sleepiness during the day.

• 打 (dǎ): While its primary meaning is “to hit” or “to strike,” in many phrases like this one, it functions as a general action verb, similar to “to do” or “to engage in.” Here, it signifies the action of dozing.
• 瞌 (kē): This character specifically means “drowsy” or “sleepy.” It is almost never used on its own and exists primarily to form this word.
• 睡 (shuì): This is the standard character for “to sleep.”

The characters combine logically: “打 (dǎ)” means to perform the action of “瞌睡 (kēshuì),” which itself means “drowsy sleep.” So, the literal translation is “to do a drowsy sleep,” accurately capturing the idea of unintentionally dozing off.

In Chinese culture, “打瞌睡” is a universally understood phenomenon, but its perception is highly context-dependent.

• In Formal Settings (School/Work): Dozing off during class or a business meeting is seen as a sign of disrespect, boredom, or laziness. A teacher might gently admonish a student, saying “别打瞌睡了！” (bié dǎ kēshuì le! - “Stop dozing off!”). It implies a lack of engagement and can cause someone to lose face.
• In Informal Settings: Among friends or family, or during a long commute, it's a neutral and relatable experience. Complaining “我昨天没睡够，今天一直打瞌睡” (Wǒ zuótiān méi shuì gòu, jīntiān yìzhí dǎ kēshuì - “I didn't get enough sleep yesterday, I keep dozing off today”) is a common way to express tiredness.

Comparison to “Power Nap”: It's crucial not to confuse `打瞌睡` with a “power nap.” A power nap is an intentional, strategic act of resting to improve productivity. `打瞌睡`, however, is almost always unintentional and involuntary. It's what happens when you're *trying* to stay awake but can't. The Chinese equivalent for a planned nap would be `小睡 (xiǎoshuì)` or `午睡 (wǔshuì)`.

`打瞌睡` is an extremely common, everyday term used by people of all ages.

• As an Excuse or Explanation: People often use it to explain a lack of focus. “对不起，我有点儿打瞌睡，你刚才说什么？” (Duìbuqǐ, wǒ yǒudiǎnr dǎ kēshuì, nǐ gāngcái shuō shénme? - “Sorry, I was dozing off a bit, what did you just say?”)
• As an Observation: You can use it to describe others. “你看那个学生，又在打瞌睡了。” (Nǐ kàn nàge xuésheng, yòu zài dǎ kēshuì le. - “Look at that student, he's dozing off again.”)
• Separable Nature: As a separable verb, you can insert other words between `打` and `瞌睡`, most commonly a duration or aspect particle like `了 (le)`. This is a key feature of its usage. For example, `打了一会儿瞌睡` (dǎ le yíhuìr kēshuì - “dozed off for a little while”).

• Example 1:
  • 他太累了，于是在开会的时候打瞌睡了。
  • Pinyin: Tā tài lèi le, yúshì zài kāihuì de shíhou dǎ kēshuì le.
  • English: He was too tired, so he dozed off during the meeting.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using the term in a work context, where it has a negative connotation.
• Example 2:
  • 这节课太无聊了，我差点儿打瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jié kè tài wúliáo le, wǒ chàdiǎnr dǎ kēshuì.
  • English: This class is so boring, I almost nodded off.
  • Analysis: The phrase `差点儿 (chàdiǎnr)` means “almost,” showing that you successfully fought off the urge to sleep.
• Example 3:
  • 我昨天晚上只睡了四个小时，今天一直在打瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang zhǐ shuìle sì ge xiǎoshí, jīntiān yìzhí zài dǎ kēshuì.
  • English: I only slept for four hours last night, so I've been dozing off all day today.
  • Analysis: `一直 (yìzhí)` means “continuously” or “all along,” emphasizing the persistent state of drowsiness.
• Example 4:
  • 你别打瞌睡了，认真听讲！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié dǎ kēshuì le, rènzhēn tīngjiǎng!
  • English: Stop dozing off and listen to the lecture carefully!
  • Analysis: This is a command, often used by a person in authority like a teacher or parent. `别…了 (bié…le)` is a common structure for “stop doing something.”
• Example 5:
  • 司机开车的时候千万不能打瞌睡，太危险了。
  • Pinyin: Sījī kāichē de shíhou qiānwàn bù néng dǎ kēshuì, tài wēixiǎn le.
  • English: A driver must never doze off while driving; it's too dangerous.
  • Analysis: `千万不能 (qiānwàn bù néng)` is a very strong way to say “must not under any circumstances,” highlighting a serious situation.
• Example 6:
  • 吃完午饭，人就容易打瞌睡。
  • Pinyin: Chī wán wǔfàn, rén jiù róngyì dǎ kēshuì.
  • English: After eating lunch, people get drowsy easily.
  • Analysis: A general statement about a common human experience, often referred to as a “food coma” in English.
• Example 7:
  • 为了不打瞌睡，他喝了一大杯咖啡。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bù dǎ kēshuì, tā hē le yí dà bēi kāfēi.
  • English: In order not to doze off, he drank a large cup of coffee.
  • Analysis: `为了 (wèile)` means “in order to,” showing the purpose of an action.
• Example 8:
  • 我只是打了一小会儿瞌睡，怎么电影就结束了？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì dǎ le yì xiǎohuìr kēshuì, zěnme diànyǐng jiù jiéshù le?
  • English: I just dozed off for a little bit, how is the movie already over?
  • Analysis: This is a perfect demonstration of the separable verb structure. `打 + 了 + [duration] + 瞌睡` is a very natural pattern.
• Example 9:
  • 看到小猫在沙发上打瞌睡的样子，真可爱。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào xiǎo māo zài shāfā shàng dǎ kēshuì de yàngzi, zhēn kě'ài.
  • English: Seeing the kitten dozing on the sofa is so cute.
  • Analysis: This shows that the term can be used for animals and can have a cute or endearing connotation in that context.
• Example 10:
  • 你是不是在打瞌睡？我叫了你好几声。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bu shì zài dǎ kēshuì? Wǒ jiào le nǐ hǎo jǐ shēng.
  • English: Were you dozing off? I called your name several times.
  • Analysis: A common question when trying to get the attention of someone who is sleepy and unresponsive.

• “打瞌睡” vs. “睡觉 (shuìjiào)“: This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
  • 睡觉 (shuìjiào): To sleep. This is the general term for intentional sleeping, usually for a longer duration, in a bed.
    • Correct: 我每天晚上十点睡觉。 (Wǒ měitiān wǎnshàng shí diǎn shuìjiào.) - I go to sleep at 10 PM every night.
    • Incorrect: 我每天晚上十点打瞌睡。
  • 打瞌睡 (dǎ kēshuì): To doze off. This is for short, unintentional, light sleep, often while sitting.
    • Correct: 他上课的时候打瞌睡了。 (Tā shàngkè de shíhou dǎ kēshuì le.) - He dozed off during class.
    • Incorrect: 他上课的时候睡觉了。 (While grammatically possible, it implies he was fully, deeply asleep, which is more severe than just dozing.)
• Forgetting it's a Separable Verb: Learners often treat `打瞌睡` as a single unit and place duration words after it, which is unnatural.
  • Incorrect: 我打瞌睡了一会儿。 (Wǒ dǎkēshuì le yíhuìr.)
  • Correct: 我打了一会儿瞌睡。 (Wǒ dǎ le yíhuìr kēshuì.)

• 睡觉 (shuìjiào) - The general verb “to sleep.” `打瞌睡` is a specific type of sleeping.
• 困 (kùn) - The adjective for “sleepy” or “drowsy.” This describes the state that leads to `打瞌睡`.
• 犯困 (fànkùn) - To feel sleepy, to be overcome by drowsiness. It describes the onset of the feeling. (e.g., 一到下午我就犯困 - Yí dào xiàwǔ wǒ jiù fànkùn - I get sleepy as soon as afternoon comes.)
• 打盹儿 (dǎdǔnr) - A very close synonym, especially in Northern China. It means to take a short nap or to doze, and is also a separable verb. It's slightly more colloquial.
• 小睡 (xiǎoshuì) - To take a nap, to snooze. This is usually an intentional nap.
• 午睡 (wǔshuì) - Specifically, a noon nap or siesta, a common practice in China.
• 眯一会儿 (mī yíhuìr) - “To squint for a moment.” A very common and informal way to say you're going to close your eyes and rest for just a few minutes.
• 疲劳 (píláo) - Fatigue, tiredness. A more formal or medical term for the underlying condition that might cause you to `打瞌睡`.