清醒 qīngxǐng clear-headed
clear-headed; sober; awake
How to remember 清醒: 清 clear + 醒 wake up = clear-headed.
Characters
How it is used
- Clear-headed/sober/awake - 保持清醒 (bǎochí qīngxǐng) stay clear-headed, 头脑清醒 (tóunǎo qīngxǐng) a lucid mind, 清醒过来 (qīngxǐng guòlái) come to/sober up.
- About mental clarity and alertness - not drunk, not deluded, fully awake and rational.
- Contrast 糊涂 (hútu, muddled/confused) and 醉 (zuì, drunk). Figurative 清醒 = seeing things clearly.
Example sentences
- 我很清醒。 Wǒ hěn qīngxǐng.I'm sober.
- 汤姆给自己浇凉水以清醒过来。 Tāngmǔ gěi zìjǐ jiāo liángshuǐ yǐ qīngxǐngguòlái.Tom poured cold water over himself to wake himself up.