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梦魇 (mèng yǎn) — nightmare; horrifying dream (often with a suffocating sensation); sleep paralysis (common folk explanation for the feeling of being pressed down)

Definition

A vivid term for a terrifying nightmare, especially one with the classic folk image of being pressed or suffocated in sleep. More literary and intense than the everyday 噩梦.

noun
nightmarehorrifying dream (often with a suffocating sensation)sleep paralysis (common folk explanation for the feeling of being pressed down)

Examples

  • 梦魇，。
    Zuó wǎn wǒ zuò le yí gè kě pà de mèng yǎn, xǐng lái hòu xīn tiào dé lì hài.
    I had a horrible nightmare last night — my heart was pounding when I woke up.
  • 梦魇，。
    Tā jīng cháng bèi mèng yǎn kùn rǎo, zhěng yè wú fǎ ān shuì.
    He is often troubled by nightmares and can't sleep well all night.
  • 梦魇，。
    Nà zhǒng yā yì de gǎn jué jiù xiàng mèng yǎn yí yàng, ràng rén huī zhī bú qù.
    That oppressive feeling is like a nightmare — it won't go away.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

梦mèngdream
魇yǎnnightmare

梦 (dream) and 魇 (nightmare) are close in meaning, together giving a frightening dream.

Characters in this word

Most 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夕夕xī
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.

Open 梦 →

Most 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 魘; 魇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鬼鬼guǐdevil
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn魘yǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 魘 uses 鬼, a devil, for meaning and 厭 for sound. The simplified 魇 is a later shorthand.

Appears in
Mental Health

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