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梦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
梦mèngdreamHSK 4, n, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #776, Medium
梦mèng>场[cháng],個HSK 4, n, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #776, Medium
梦mèng>个[gè]HSK 4, n, 11 strokes, radical 木, rank #776, Medium
mèng(meng4) T4
  1. 1dream
  2. 2>场[cháng],個
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March 24, 2026
梦(夢)mèng(meng4)

梦 (mèng) means 'dream' in Mandarin, referring to the experiences and images that occur during sleep. It can also signify aspirations or hopes in a metaphorical sense. Commonly used in phrases like '做梦' (zuò mèng) meaning 'to dream' or '追梦' (zhuī mèng) meaning 'to chase one's dreams.'

Strokes11Radical木Frequency#776DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, dreams are often seen as significant and can be interpreted for insights into one's life or future. The concept of 'dream interpretation' has historical roots in Chinese literature and philosophy.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person dreaming of a magical moon (月, yuè) floating above their head, representing dreams. The character 梦 combines the moon radical with the character for 'to think' (心, xīn), symbolizing the thoughts and fantasies that fill our minds while we dream.

Meanings of 梦

mèng(meng4)
1dream
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 梦

梦Simplified
夢Traditional
11Strokes
木Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#776Frequency Rank
场Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 梦

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Podcast: 梦

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AI Study Notes for 梦

Quick Contrast

梦 (mèng) vs 梦境 (mèng jìng) — use 梦 for the general concept of 'dream', while 梦境 specifically refers to the 'dream world' or the content of a dream.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person dreaming of a magical moon (月, yuè) floating above their head, representing dreams. The character 梦 combines the moon radical with the character for 'to think' (心, xīn), symbolizing the thoughts and fantasies that fill our minds while we dream.

Usage Notes

While the character 梦 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, learners should be cautious with its collocations. For instance, '做梦' (zuò mèng) is a common phrase for 'dreaming,' but using it inappropriately in a non-dream context can lead to confusion. Remember to use the correct tone; '梦' should be pronounced with a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 梦 connects with other vocabulary related to emotions and experiences, such as 希望 (xīwàng, hope) and 愿望 (yuànwàng, wish). Focus on practicing it within sentences that express desires or aspirations to reinforce its usage.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, dreams are often seen as significant and can be interpreted for insights into one's life or future. The concept of 'dream interpretation' has historical roots in Chinese literature and philosophy.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 梦 with 觉 (jué), which means 'to feel' or 'to sense.' For example, saying '我觉一个梦' instead of '我做梦' is incorrect. Always use '做梦' to indicate the act of dreaming.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 梦

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Etymology of 梦

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 夢, which is a pictograph of a person lying in bed dreaming. 夕 (dusk) represents the meaning, and 林 is an abbreviated form of the top half of the traditional character 夢.

Memory Hint

Two eyes shut 林 at night 夕

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 梦?

Decomposition of 梦

IDS Structure⿱林夕
梦Full Character
=
林Lin2
top
夕xi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 梦?

Write 梦

梦

Practice writing 梦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 梦

梦 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons5
Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他为了实现____想而离开了家乡。

He left his hometown in order to realize his dream.

Common Confusions with 梦

梦vs蒙
méng

Similar pronunciation and shape, but different meaning.

梦vs盟
méng

Same pronunciation but different meaning and usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "dream"?

or

Usage Notes for 梦

Misunderstanding Dream ContextCommon Error

Learners often confuse '梦' with literal sleep references rather than metaphorical or idiomatic usages.

1

我做了一个好梦。

I had a good dream.

2

梦中有许多奇妙的事情。

There were many wonderful things in the dream.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我做了一个好____。

I had a good dream.

Example Sentences for 梦 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你是否付出艰苦努力以取得成功，而不是只在那里做白日梦？

nǐ shì fǒu fù chū jiān kǔ nǔ lì yǐ qǔ dé chéng gōng， ， ér bù shì zhī zài nà lǐ zuò bái rì？

Do you work hard for success rather than daydream about it?
2
白日梦可能像是真实情景的预演。

bái rì mèng kě néng xiàng shì zhēn shí qíng jǐng de yù yǎn。

Daydreams may seem to be rehearsals for real-life situations.
3
她的梦想是主持一档电视时尚生活节目。

tā de mèng xiǎng shì zhǔ chí yī dàng diàn shì shí shàng shēng huó jié mù。

Her dream is to present a lifestyle show on television.
4
毕业税具体操作起来不啻一场行政噩梦。

bì yè shuì jù tǐ cāo zuò qǐ lái bù chì yī cháng háng zhèng è mèng。

In practice a graduate tax is an administrative nightmare.
5
她梦想成为马戏团中的一名无鞍马骑手。

tā mèng xiǎng chéng wéi mǎ xì tuán zhōng de yī míng wú ān mǎ qí shǒu。

She dreamed of being a bareback rider in a circus.
6
我梦想在乡间拥有一栋房子。

wǒ mèng xiǎng zài xiāng jiān yōng yǒu yī dòng fáng zǐ。

My dream is to have a house in the country.
7
这个故事的念头是他做白日梦的时候突然想到的。

zhè gè gù shì de niàn tóu shì tā zuò bái rì mèng de shí hòu tū rán xiǎng dào de。

The idea for the story came to him in a daydream.
8
他从睡梦中醒来，浑身冒着冷汗。

tā cóng shuì mèng zhōng xǐng lái， ， hún shēn mào zháo lěng。

He awoke from his sleep in a cold sweat.
9
我发现他像平日一样在花园里做着好梦.

wǒ fā xiàn tā xiàng píng rì yī yàng zài huā yuán lǐ zuò zháo hǎo mèng.

I found him in the garden, dreaming away as usual.
10
她那些色彩斑斓的油画与纸上作品给人一种天真、梦幻般的感觉。

tā nà xiē sè cǎi bān lán de yóu huà yǔ zhǐ shàng zuò pǐn gěi rén yī zhǒng tiān zhēn、 、 mèng huàn bān de gǎn。

Her colourful oils and works on paper have a naive, dreamlike quality.

Cultural Notes for 梦

💡Did you know?

'梦' has a rich cultural significance in Chinese culture. Dreams are often seen as a window into the subconscious and are believed to hold messages or omens for the future.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, dreams are often seen as significant and can be interpreted for insights into one's life or future. The concept of 'dream interpretation' has historical roots in Chinese literature and philosophy.

📜Proverb

A famous Chinese proverb states, '梦中有梦' (there are dreams within dreams), reflecting the complexity of human thoughts and desires.

Word Family of 梦

Words Containing This Character20
梦mèngdream夢
梦想mèngxiǎngdream夢想
做梦zuòmèngto dream做夢
噩梦nightmare噩夢
梦幻mènghuàndream夢幻
梦见mèngjiànto see in a dream夢見
恶梦nightmare惡夢
梦境dreamland夢境
红楼梦A Dream of Red Mansions (first completed edition 1791) by Cao Xueqin 曹雪芹[Cáo​Xuě​qín], one of the four great novels紅樓夢
梦寐以求to long for sth day and night夢寐以求
梦游to sleepwalk夢遊
白日梦daydream白日夢
梦魇nightmare夢魘
梦乡slumberland夢鄉
圆梦to interpret a dream圓夢
春梦spring dream春夢
醉生梦死in a drunken stupor醉生夢死
云梦Yunmeng county in Xiaogan 孝感[Xiào​gǎn], Hubei雲夢
梦话delusions夢話
白日做梦to daydream白日做夢
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 梦 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 梦

梦 (mèng) is the simplified form of the traditional character 夢. Both characters have the same meaning, which is 'dream.' The simplified version is used in mainland China, while the traditional version is used in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong.