empty dream; transient dream
A literary expression for a fleeting, insubstantial dream, often used to convey the impermanence of worldly pursuits. Derived from a classical Chinese story about a man who dreamed an entire lifetime while his millet was cooking.
He realized that life is nothing but an empty dream.
Also refers to the fleeting nature of life from a Chinese story, but 一炊の夢 emphasizes the brevity of a dream within the time it takes to cook a single meal.
Standard kanji form for this idiomatic expression.
Rare variant using the classical possessive particle 之 instead of の.
From a classical Chinese tale in which a man dreams of a lifetime of glory and ruin while his millet is cooking; the expression symbolizes the transience of worldly success.