Translation guide
The act of being lost in pleasant thoughts while awake, often as a distraction from the present. Japanese expresses this through nouns, verbs, and descriptive phrases, with nuances ranging from idle fantasy to deep reverie.
Describing the act of daydreaming, spacing out, or being absorbed in pleasant thoughts.
Literally 'to indulge in fantasy'. A common, natural way to say someone is lost in a daydream. Can be used for both momentary and prolonged states.
彼は授業中、よく空想にふけっている。
He often daydreams during class.
窓の外を見ながら空想にふけるのが好きだ。
I like to daydream while looking out the window.
Means to space out or be absent-minded. Often implies a blank, unfocused state rather than active fantasy, but commonly used for daydreaming.
仕事中にぼんやりしてしまった。
I ended up daydreaming at work.
彼女はぼんやりと海を眺めていた。
She was daydreaming while gazing at the sea.
To dream or fantasize, often with a literary or slightly formal tone. Implies a more vivid, imaginative daydream.
彼は成功を夢想していた。
He was daydreaming about success.
Literally 'to see a daytime dream'. A direct translation of 'daydream', but less common in casual speech. Used in psychological or descriptive contexts.
彼は白昼夢を見ているようだった。
He seemed to be having a daydream.
Referring to the pleasant thoughts or imagined scenarios themselves.
The most common noun for 'daydream' or 'fantasy'. Neutral and widely used.
それはただの空想にすぎない。
That's just a daydream.
彼の頭の中は空想でいっぱいだ。
His head is full of daydreams.
A dream or vision, often with a grand or unrealistic quality. Slightly more literary than 空想.
The literal term for 'daydream', but used mainly in psychology or literature. Not common in everyday conversation.
Expressing that someone is fantasizing about a particular thing or scenario.
Pattern: [thing] + の空想にふける. Means 'to indulge in daydreams about ~'.
彼女は休暇の空想にふけっていた。
She was daydreaming about her vacation.
Pattern: [thing] + を夢想する. 'To dream of ~'. Slightly formal/literary.
彼は世界平和を夢想している。
He daydreams about world peace.
空想 (fantasy/daydream) is the most common and neutral. 夢想 (dream/vision) is more literary and often implies grand or unrealistic dreams. 白昼夢 (daydream) is a technical term and rarely used in daily speech.
子供の頃はよく空想にふけったものだ。
I used to daydream a lot as a child.
彼の夢想は壮大すぎて誰も理解できない。
His daydreams are too grandiose for anyone to understand.
The English word 'daydream' is often translated directly as 白昼夢, but this sounds unnatural in most contexts. Use 空想 or 空想にふける instead for natural Japanese.
✕ 彼は白昼夢を見ている。
He is having a daydream. (unnatural)
○ 彼は空想にふけっている。
He is daydreaming. (natural)
✕ 彼は白昼夢を見ている。
He is having a daydream. (unnatural)
○ 彼は空想にふけっている。
He is daydreaming. (natural)
His daydreams are out of touch with reality.
白昼夢は現実逃避の一種だ。
Daydreaming is a form of escapism.