Translation guide
How to express the act or state of waking up in Japanese, from natural morning routines to formal contexts.
To express the action of waking up from sleep, typically in the morning or after a nap.
The most common and neutral verb for 'to wake up' or 'to get up'. Can refer to both opening your eyes and getting out of bed.
Literally 'eyes become clear/awake'. Focuses on the moment of regaining consciousness, often used when something causes you to wake up.
Similar to 目が覚める but slightly more literary or emphatic. Can also mean 'to awaken' in a spiritual or intellectual sense.
Formal or written term for 'getting up' or 'rising'. Used in official contexts, schedules, or medical settings.
Wake-up time is 7 o'clock.
To express the action of causing someone else to wake up.
Transitive verb meaning 'to wake someone up'. The person being woken is marked with を.
To describe the state of being awake, as opposed to being asleep.
To express a figurative awakening, such as realizing a truth or becoming aware of a situation.
起きる is the general verb for waking up and getting up. 目が覚める focuses on the moment your eyes open and consciousness returns. Use 起きる for daily routines, and 目が覚める when emphasizing the cause of waking or the state of being awake.
It's hard to wake up every morning.
大きな音で目が覚めた。
I woke up because of a loud noise.
I wake up naturally in the morning.
彼は深い眠りから目覚めた。
He awoke from a deep sleep.
Wake me up at 7 tomorrow.
Waking up the kids is tough.
Causative form of 目が覚める, meaning 'to make someone wake up' or 'to bring someone to their senses'. Can be used literally or figuratively.
His words woke me up (made me realize something).
I was awake until late last night.
Literally 'eyes are awake'. Emphasizes the conscious state, often used when you can't fall asleep or are fully alert.
I'm often awake in the middle of the night.
Also used figuratively to mean 'to come to one's senses' or 'to see the truth'.
Listening to him, I woke up (to reality).
Formal or technical term for 'awakening', often used in spiritual, psychological, or fantasy contexts.
He experienced a spiritual awakening.
I woke up because of the earthquake.
起きる (intransitive) means 'to wake up (oneself)'. 起こす (transitive) means 'to wake someone up'. Using the wrong one can change the meaning.
I wake up at 6.
My mother wakes me up at 6.