夢想家
musōka[mɯ̟so̞ːka̠]
In Japanese, the English phrase "dreamer" is translated as 夢想家 (musōka).
Meaning: one who dreams (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 夢 (dream), 想 (thought/idea) and 家 (specialist/person/expert).
Which one should you use?
While 夢想家 implies an impractical visionary, 夢見る人 is a more neutral or poetic way to describe someone who is dreaming.
How do you pronounce it?
musōka
Did you know?
- The term 夢想 (musō) can also be used in Buddhist contexts to refer to delusions or wandering thoughts that lack a grounding in reality.
- The suffix 家 in 夢想家 is the same character used for 'house' in Japanese, but here it denotes a professional or an expert in a certain field.
- Because of the suffix 家, calling someone a 夢想家 can sound like you are giving them a formal title, almost like a 'specialist in dreaming'.
Examples in context
- 彼は真の夢想家です。He is a true dreamer.
- 彼は理想ばかり追う夢想家だ。Kare wa risou bakari ou musouka da.He is a dreamer who only chases ideals.
- 夢想家として生きるのは難しい。Musouka to shite ikiru no wa muzukashii.Living as a dreamer is difficult.
- 君は少し夢想家すぎるよ。Kimi wa sukoshi musouka sugiru yo.You are a bit too much of a dreamer.
Example conversation
Himari and Ren are talking about their future goals.
- 陽葵 Himariいつか世界一周旅行がしたいな。Itsuka sekai isshū ryokō ga shitai na.I want to travel around the world someday.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵は本当に夢想家だね。Himari wa hontō ni musōka da ne.Himari, you really are a dreamer.
- 陽葵 Himari夢があるのはいいことだよ！Yume ga aru no wa ii koto da yo!Having dreams is a good thing!
- 蓮 Renそうだね。応援するよ。Sō da ne. Ōen suru yo.That's true. I'll support you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 夢想家, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
