噩夢 / 噩梦
èmèng
The English phrase 'nightmare' is translated into Chinese as 噩夢 / 噩梦 (èmèng). If unsure, use 噩夢 / 噩梦. Wiktionary also lists 惡夢 / 恶梦 (èmèng) and 夢魘 / 梦魇 (mèngyǎn).
Meaning: dream (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 噩夢 / 噩梦 | èmèng |
| 惡夢 / 恶梦 | èmèng |
| 夢魘 / 梦魇 | mèngyǎn |
The term refers to a dream (noun).
What does it mean word for word?
The word 噩夢 / 噩梦 (èmèng) is composed of 噩 (èm), meaning 'bad/evil' and 夢 (mèng), meaning 'dream'.
Which one should you use?
While 噩夢 / 噩梦 (èmèng) is the common term for a bad dream, 夢魘 / 梦魇 (mèngyǎn) is a more literary or formal term often used in classical contexts or to describe a specific sensation of being oppressed by a dream.
How do you pronounce it?
èmèng
Did you know?
- The character 魘 in 夢魘 originally depicted a person with a ghost or demon sitting on their chest. This reflects the ancient belief that nightmares were caused by external spirits pressing down on the sleeper.
- While 噩夢 is the standard term, Chinese speakers sometimes use the phrase 做噩夢 to describe the act of having a nightmare. The verb 做 literally means 'to make' or 'to do'.
- Traditional Chinese folklore suggests that 夢魘 is caused by a specific type of ghost. Some traditional remedies involved placing a mirror or a specific charm under the pillow to ward off these entities.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nightmare” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
