expression, ichidan verb
dream (while asleep); have a dream
Literal dreaming during sleep. The most common use of the expression.
昨夜、怖い夢を見た。
I had a scary dream last night.
彼はよく空を飛ぶ夢を見る。
He often dreams of flying.
expression, ichidan verb
dream (of the future); have aspirations
Metaphorical dreaming about hopes, ambitions, or an ideal future. Often used with ～という夢を見る or ～の夢を見る.
彼はいつか宇宙飛行士になる夢を見ている。
He dreams of becoming an astronaut someday.
若い頃は、世界平和の夢を見ていた。
When I was young, I dreamed of world peace.
expression, ichidan verb
have a fleeting experience; experience something dreamlike
Rare, literary use. Describes a brief, almost unreal experience, often with a wistful or poetic tone. Not used in everyday conversation.
彼は戦場で束の間の平和の夢を見た。
He experienced a fleeting moment of peace on the battlefield.