覚さます

さ

ま

す

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

wake someone up; awaken

Transitive: cause a sleeping person to wake. The intransitive counterpart is 覚める (さめる).

朝あさ7時じに子こ供どもを覚さました。
I woke the child up at 7 in the morning.
大おおきな音おとで目めを覚さました。
I was awakened by a loud noise.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

bring to one's senses; disabuse

Figurative: make someone realize the truth or snap out of a delusion, often used with 迷い (delusion) or 夢 (dream).

友ゆう人じんの言こと葉ばが彼かれの迷まよいを覚さました。
His friend's words brought him to his senses.
現げん実じつが彼かれの甘あまい夢ゆめを覚さました。
Reality disabused him of his naive dream.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

sober someone up

Only when written 醒ます

Cause an intoxicated person to become sober. Often used with 酔い (drunkenness). The kanji 醒ます is preferred for this sense.

冷つめたい水みずで顔かおを洗あらって酔よいを醒さました。
I sobered up by washing my face with cold water.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

dampen enthusiasm; spoil the mood

Only when written 醒ます

Figurative: cool down excitement or interest. Restricted to the kanji 醒ます. Often used with 興 (interest) or 熱 (passion).

Written forms

覚さますUsage73%
Standard kanji for waking someone up or bringing someone to their senses.
さますUsage22%
醒さますUsage5%
Used for sobering up from intoxication or dampening enthusiasm; also acceptable for waking, but 覚ます is more common.

Kanji

覚memorize, learn, remember
醒awake, be disillusioned, sober up

Similar words

覚さめる
Intransitive: to wake up (oneself). 覚ます is the transitive counterpart.
冷さます
To cool something down (temperature). 醒ます is for sobering up or dampening mood, not physical cooling.

Etymology

Causative/transitive form of 覚める (sameru, 'to wake up'), from classical verb 覚む (samu). The kanji 醒 is used specifically for sobering and cooling of emotions.