まどろむ

ま

ど

ろ

む

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

まどろむ · godan verb (-mu)

Meanings

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

doze off; nap lightly; slumber

usually written using kana alone

Describes a light, gentle sleep, often during the day or in a relaxed setting. More poetic than 居眠りする.

居い眠ねむり
居眠りする means to fall asleep unintentionally, often in a place where one should be awake (e.g., during class or a meeting). まどろむ is a lighter, more pleasant doze.
うたた寝ね
うたた寝する also means to doze off, but often implies a brief nap without intending to sleep. まどろむ is more about the state of light sleep itself.

Applies to each form listed below

gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

まどろむUsage92%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 微睡む is rare and literary.
微睡まどろむUsage8%
Rare kanji spelling; the reading is a jukujikun (special kanji reading).

The origin is uncertain. The kanji 微睡 are a jukujikun (special reading) assigned to the native Japanese verb まどろむ, meaning 'to doze lightly'.