Korean slang profile
수면이혼
sumyeon ihon
Sleep divorce
A figurative term for couples or partners who sleep in separate rooms or beds.
- Expanded form
- Not documented
- Other spellings
- 수면 이혼
- Earliest source found
- Mar 12, 2025
- Documented trend period
- Not verified
This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.
01Examples, with English translations
- Example by Julimmal
잠드는 시간이 달라서 평일에는 수면이혼을 해 보기로 했어.
We go to sleep at different times, so we've decided to try sleeping separately on weekdays.
- Quoted from a source
‘수면 이혼’(부부가 잘 때 각방 쓰는 방식을 빗댄 말)[1]
‘수면 이혼’ (a metaphor for the way a couple sleeps in separate rooms)
English translation by Julimmal.
02Documented history
- 2025-03-12Money Today reported the results of a sleep habits survey and explained the meaning of 수면이혼 in parentheses.[1]
03Origin & word formation
A 2025 Money Today article explains it as a metaphor for couples sleeping in separate rooms. It uses the term in reporting on sleeping apart from a partner with snoring or sleep apnea. It does not mean a legal end to marriage. The earliest use has not been verified.
Evidence for the origin explanationMedium
The source supports the meaning and usage context. As it is a single source, the earliest use and route of spread still need checking.
04Sources
Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.
- “잘 때는 각방”…코 세척하면 낫는다? 이 병 속설 탓, ‘수면이혼’ 늘었다 (머니투데이)Published Mar 12, 2025Original source checked Nov 6, 2026