まどろみ

ま

ど

ろ

み

Meanings

noun

doze; nap; short sleep

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a light, brief sleep, often during the day or when one is not fully asleep. More literary or poetic than 居眠り.

午ご後ごの陽ひだまりで、猫ねこがまどろみに落おちていた。
In the afternoon sun, the cat had fallen into a doze.
電でん車しゃの中なかで短みじかいまどろみを楽たのしんだ。
I enjoyed a short nap on the train.

Kanji

微delicate, minuteness, insignificance
睡drowsy, sleep, die

Related words

居い眠ねむり
居眠り is a more common, everyday word for dozing off, especially unintentionally (e.g., in class or at work). まどろみ is more literary and often implies a pleasant, light sleep.
うたた寝ね
うたた寝 also means a nap or doze, but often refers to dozing off unintentionally while sitting or lying down. まどろみ emphasizes the state of light sleep itself.

Written forms

Applies to each form listed below

gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

まどろみUsage100%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 微睡み and 微睡 are rare and literary.
微睡まどろみ
Rare kanji spelling; the reading is a jukujikun.
微睡まどろみ
Rare kanji spelling without okurigana; the reading is a jukujikun.

Etymology

The word まどろみ is derived from the verb まどろむ (to doze). The kanji 微睡 are jukujikun, assigned for their meanings ('faint' and 'sleep') rather than their usual readings.