(xiū xi) - to rest, to take a break; rest in Mandarin
xiūxiTraditional: 休息
Translation
to rest, to take a break; rest
Word origin
A two-character compound meaning to rest. 休 (xiū) 'to rest' shows a person 亻 leaning against a tree 木, and 息 (xī) 'breath, to rest' shows 自 'nose' over 心 'heart'.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 休 (xiū, 'to rest'; 亻 person + 木 tree) + 息 (xī, 'breath/rest')
Stroke order
休
息
Examples
。
You need to get a good rest.
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Let's take a break and then continue.
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Holidays are for rest and relaxation.
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You should get some good rest.
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I will rest for a while in the afternoon.
休息 (xiū xi) means to rest or take a break. 休 means to cease work and 息 means breath or rest. Together they describe pausing from activity to recover energy. It is used for short breaks (休息一下, take a quick break), longer rest periods (好好休息, rest well), and time off (休息日, day off). The polite phrase 请休息 suggests someone should rest. Related: 休假 (xiū jià, to take a holiday), 放松 (fàng sōng, to relax).
Used in
Stories
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