<p>Is depend how you what to tell others on the clock.
If you set the alarm and you like to tell your friend about it, and you mentioned </p>

<p>I need alarm to wake me up then use '叫醒'
You not intend to wake up but someone accidentally turn on alarm for you then you use '吵醒'</p>

<p>So</p>

<p>'叫醒' use when you need someone to wake you </p>

<p>'吵醒' use it when you don't intend wake up but someone/something disturb your sleep.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-21T01:44:54.120Z
2014-07-21T01:44:54.120Z
tsohtan
<p>Yes, that is fine; it is quite common to use <code>叫醒</code> with alarms.</p>

<p>In fact you can use both <code>吵醒</code> and <code>叫醒</code> here, although there's a small difference in connotations. It isn't a very strong distinction though, so you needn't be overly concerned.</p>

<p>Anyway, <code>叫醒</code> normally means the action was <strong>intended</strong> to wake you. In contrast <code>吵醒</code> carries the sense that being woken up is <strong>unplanned</strong> or unwanted, i.e. some <em>noise</em> woke you (implying you aren't happy about it). For example, if <em>your neighbours'</em> alarm woke you, you'd normally use <code>吵醒</code>. If the hotel's <em>morning call</em> woke you, that's normally <code>叫醒</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-20T22:13:14.383Z
Great explanation.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-21T15:55:49.263Z
Would this be a better translation of the entire sentence:  今天早上五点半我被手机闹钟叫醒了。 ?  IE use 被 to say I was woken BY the alarm?
Daniel Howard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-21T16:45:02.460Z
@DanielHoward yes, that flows better imho
Semaphore
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-20T21:49:28.447Z
2014-07-20T21:49:28.447Z
Semaphore
<p>I'm trying to figure out whether an alarm clock 吵醒我， or 叫醒我。 
I'd like to say the sentence 
my alarm clock woke me up at 5:30 today
my translation so far is
今天早上五点半， 我手机的闹钟叫醒了我。 
Can 叫醒 be done by inanimate objects? Is this construction used in chinese? </p>

<grammar>
Does an Alarm clock 吵醒 or 叫醒？
# Does an Alarm clock 吵醒 or 叫醒？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-20)

I'm trying to figure out whether an alarm clock 吵醒我， or 叫醒我。
I'd like to say the sentence
my alarm clock woke me up at 5:30 today
my translation so far is
今天早上五点半， 我手机的闹钟叫醒了我。
Can 叫醒 be done by inanimate objects? Is this construction used in chinese?

**Tags:** grammar


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-07-20. Score: 18 | Accepted answer

Yes, that is fine; it is quite common to use `叫醒` with alarms.

In fact you can use both `吵醒` and `叫醒` here, although there's a small difference in connotations. It isn't a very strong distinction though, so you needn't be overly concerned.

Anyway, `叫醒` normally means the action was **intended** to wake you. In contrast `吵醒` carries the sense that being woken up is **unplanned** or unwanted, i.e. some *noise* woke you (implying you aren't happy about it). For example, if *your neighbours'* alarm woke you, you'd normally use `吵醒`. If the hotel's *morning call* woke you, that's normally `叫醒`.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Great explanation.  
> **username_4**: Would this be a better translation of the entire sentence:  今天早上五点半我被手机闹钟叫醒了。 ?  IE use 被 to say I was woken BY the alarm?  
> **username_2**: @DanielHoward yes, that flows better imho  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-07-21. Score: 5

Is depend how you what to tell others on the clock.
If you set the alarm and you like to tell your friend about it, and you mentioned

I need alarm to wake me up then use '叫醒'
You not intend to wake up but someone accidentally turn on alarm for you then you use '吵醒'

So

'叫醒' use when you need someone to wake you

'吵醒' use it when you don't intend wake up but someone/something disturb your sleep.


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