休息
to rest
xiūxi
What does 休息 mean?
休息 (xiūxi) means 'to rest' — to take a break from work, study, or activity. It covers everything from a five-minute pause (休息一下, 'take a short break') to a full day off. As a verb, it works without an object: 我要休息 ('I need to rest'). It can also act as a noun for 'a break': 课间休息 ('class break / recess').
Two cultural notes: in offices and schools, 午休 (wǔxiū, 'midday rest') is the institutionalized lunchtime nap, often 30-90 minutes; and Chinese signs on closed shops typically read 休息 ('closed for break / day off'). The phrase 好好休息 (hǎohǎo xiūxi) — literally 'rest well' — is the standard way to wish someone recovery when they're tired or sick, equivalent to 'get some rest.' The opposite is 工作 (gōngzuò, 'to work').
Character breakdown
to rest; 人 (person) + 木 (tree) — a person leaning against a tree
to breathe; rest; 自 (self/nose) + 心 (heart) — your own breath
Memory hook: 休 = a person 人 leaning on a tree 木 to rest. Add 息 (breath) and you're catching your breath.
Example sentences
你累了，休息一下吧。
Nǐ lèi le, xiūxi yíxià ba.
You're tired, take a break.
spoken
我周末在家休息。
Wǒ zhōumò zài jiā xiūxi.
I rest at home on weekends.
neutral
好好休息，明天见。
Hǎohǎo xiūxi, míngtiān jiàn.
Get some good rest, see you tomorrow.
spoken
今天商店休息。
Jīntiān shāngdiàn xiūxi.
The shop is closed today.
neutral
Common phrases with 休息
Synonyms
Don't confuse 休息 with
放假 means 'to have a holiday / time off (school or work)' — the institutional break. 休息 is any rest, big or small. 我们明天放假 ('we have tomorrow off') vs 我累了，要休息 ('I'm tired, I need to rest').