梦

• Pinyin: mèng
• Hanzi breakdown: 梦 = 苜 (sleep-related top component) + 夕 (evening)

Meaning

Dream; to dream. Refers to dreams during sleep or aspirations and goals one hopes to achieve.

梦 covers both literal dreams (做梦, to have a dream) and figurative dreams/aspirations (梦想, dream/aspiration). Very common in motivational and personal contexts. 中国梦 (the Chinese Dream) is a well-known political phrase.

Examples

1. 昨晚我做了一个很奇怪的梦，梦见自己在飞翔。 Last night I had a very strange dream — I dreamt I was flying.
2. 她从小就有一个梦，希望将来成为一名医生。 She has had a dream since childhood of becoming a doctor in the future.
3. 不要放弃你的梦，努力总会有回报的。 Don't give up your dream; hard work will always pay off.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, personal, motivation

Tone: emotive

Do Say

• 我做梦都想去一次巴黎。(I dream of going to Paris someday.)
• 他的梦是开一家自己的书店。(His dream is to open his own bookshop.)

Don't Say

• 不要用'梦'替代'计划'或'目标' — '梦'带有理想化色彩，若指具体计划请用'计划'或'目标' (Don't use 梦 in place of 计划 or 目标 when referring to concrete plans — 梦 carries an idealistic tone)

Origin & History

梦 combines 苜 (grass/sleep) and 夕 (evening), evoking images that arise in the mind during the night.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal