Translation guide
The state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals during winter, or a similar dormant state in other contexts.
The seasonal state of deep sleep and reduced metabolism in animals like bears, hedgehogs, etc.
The standard term for animal hibernation. Used for bears, rodents, etc.
熊は冬の間、冬眠します。
Bears hibernate during the winter.
冬眠から覚めたリスが活動を始めた。
The squirrel woke from hibernation and started moving around.
Verb form: 'to hibernate'. Used as a suru-verb.
このカメは冬になると冬眠する。
This turtle hibernates when winter comes.
Literally 'winter seclusion'. Can refer to hibernation or simply staying indoors during winter. More poetic or traditional.
動物たちは冬ごもりの準備を始める。
Animals begin preparing for hibernation.
A period of inactivity or dormancy, e.g., for a project, economy, or person.
Dormancy, hibernation (often for plants, volcanoes, or figurative inactivity). Used in business/economic contexts.
そのプロジェクトは現在休眠状態だ。
That project is currently in hibernation.
火山は何世紀も休眠している。
The volcano has been dormant for centuries.
To suspend activity; a more general way to say 'go into hibernation' for organizations or systems.
会社は冬の間、活動を休止する。
The company goes into hibernation during the winter.
Can be used metaphorically for people or systems, but may sound slightly humorous or informal.
A power-saving state where the system saves its state to disk and shuts down.
The technical term for hibernation mode in Windows and other systems.
パソコンを休止状態にしてください。
Please put the computer into hibernation.
Loanword from English, used in IT contexts. Less common than 休止状態.
ハイバネーションから復帰するのに時間がかかる。
It takes time to resume from hibernation.
冬眠 is specifically for animals sleeping through winter. 休眠 is broader: dormancy in plants, volcanoes, or figurative inactivity. Use 冬眠 for bears, 休眠 for a dormant account or volcano.
熊は冬眠するが、火山は休眠する。
Bears hibernate, but volcanoes lie dormant.
In IT, use 休止状態 or ハイバネーション. 冬眠 would sound like a joke.
試験が終わるまで、しばらく冬眠するよ。
I'm going to hibernate until exams are over.