梦想

• Pinyin: mèng xiǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 梦 = 林 (trees) + 夕 (evening) — dream; 想 = 相 (mutual/appearance) + 心 (heart) — to think, to wish

Meaning

Dream; aspiration; ideal. A cherished hope or ambition for the future; also to dream of achieving something.

As a noun, 梦想 refers to an ambitious goal or aspiration, stronger and more serious than 愿望 (wish). As a verb, it means to dream of or aspire to. Very common in motivational contexts, education, and personal development. The phrase 实现梦想 (realize one's dream) is ubiquitous.

Examples

1. 她的梦想是成为一名医生。 Her dream is to become a doctor.
2. 只要努力，梦想一定能实现。 As long as you work hard, dreams can definitely come true.
3. 他从小就梦想有一天能环游世界。 Since he was young, he has dreamed of traveling around the world one day.

Usage Guide

Context: motivation, personal, education

Tone: aspirational

Do Say

• 你的梦想是什么？(What is your dream?)
• 不要轻易放弃自己的梦想。(Don't give up on your dreams easily.)

Don't Say

• 我的梦想是吃一顿饭 — 梦想 is for grand aspirations; for small everyday wishes, use 想 or 希望 instead

Origin & History

梦 means 'dream' and 想 means 'to think' or 'to wish.' Together they describe a dream one actively thinks about — an aspiration.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal