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Kotomora

夢

dream, vision, illusion

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ム
  • ボウ

Kun'yomi

  • ゆめ
  • ゆめ.みる
  • くら.い

Meaning

夢 centers on the mental experience of a dream: a vision or illusion that feels real while asleep or in a trance-like state.

Most common words using 夢

20 of 101
  • 夢ゆめ
    N5

    dream

  • 夢中むちゅう
    N3

    absorbed in; immersed in; crazy about; obsessed with; devoted to

  • 悪夢あくむ
    N1

    nightmare; bad dream

  • 夢見ゆめみ

    having a dream

  • 夢見るゆめみる

    to dream (of)

  • 淫夢いんむ

    lewd dream; salacious fantasy

  • 夢想むそう
    N1

    dream; vision; reverie

  • 夢幻むげん

    dreams; fantasy; visions

  • 夢にもゆめにも

    (not) in the slightest; (not) at all

  • 夢物語ゆめものがたり

    account of a dream

  • 夢精むせい

    wet dream; nocturnal emission

  • 霊夢れいむ

    revelatory dream; revelation; a vision

  • 無我夢中むがむちゅう
    N1

    losing oneself (in); being absorbed (in); forgetting oneself

  • 白昼夢はくちゅうむ

    daydream; waking dream

  • 初夢はつゆめ
    N1

    first dream of the New year (believed to foretell one's luck)

  • 夢遊病むゆうびょう

    sleepwalking; somnambulism; noctambulism

  • 正夢まさゆめ

    dream that comes true

  • 夢魔むま

    nightmare

  • 夢枕ゆめまくら

    at the bedside where one dreams

  • 長年の夢ながねんのゆめ

    long-cherished dream

Explore all words using 夢 →

Study

Etymology

夢 originally depicted a person in bed with an eye emphasized, suggesting a dream state. The modern form has been stylized, but the bottom 夕 (evening) and the overall structure still hint at nighttime visions.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 艹 looks like a canopy over a bed, the middle ⺫ resembles a closed eye, and the bottom 冖 and 夕 suggest evening. Picture yourself under the covers at night, eyes closed, drifting into a dream.

Reading mnemonic

For ム, imagine a dream where a cow says 'moo' (ム) instead of mooing. The silly 'moo' sound cues ム while you dream.