养神

養神
yǎngshén
verb #36,873

Meanings

  1. 1 to rest the mind
  2. 2 to recuperate mentally
  3. 3 to sit quietly with eyes closed

Examples

Tā bìmù yǎngshén, shénme dōu bù xiǎng.
He closed his eyes to rest and thought of nothing.
Zhōngwǔ wǒ xǐhuan yǎngshén shí fēnzhōng.
I like to rest my mind for ten minutes at noon.

Tips

culture
Rooted in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine): here is the vital spirit/mental energy, not 'god'. To (nourish) it means to consciously settle and replenish — closer to brief meditation than a nap. The set phrase 养神 (close-eyes rest-spirit) is by far the most common usage.

Stroke Order

yǎng
shén