梦 (mèng) — dream (while sleeping or a cherished aspiration); to dream (during sleep)
Definition
梦 (mèng) is both a noun ('a dream') and a verb ('to dream' in sleep) — a short, neutral word. For a future aspiration, say 梦想; for the verb 'to dream while sleeping', 做梦 is more natural.
dream (while sleeping or a cherished aspiration)to dream (during sleep)
Measure word · 场, 个
Examples
- 梦。Zuó wǎn wǒ zuò le yí gè yǒu qù de mèng.I had an interesting dream last night.
- 。Wǒ mèng jiàn nǐ le.I dreamed of you.
- 梦。Tā de mèng shì qù běi jīng lǚ yóu.His dream is to travel to Beijing.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 夢; 梦 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
瞢
瞢méng夢mèng
Same sound today
The traditional form 夢 pairs 夕 (night) with 瞢, which gives the sound; its older form showed a person lying with an eye emphasized.
Appears in
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