美梦
měimèng
The English phrase "sweet dream" is translated into Chinese as 美梦 (měimèng).
美梦 refers to a pleasant and enjoyable dream experienced while sleeping. To express the act of having a sweet dream, you use the verb 做 (zuò), meaning 'to do' or 'to make', resulting in the phrase 做美梦.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 美梦 is composed of 美 (měi), meaning beautiful or lovely and 梦 (mèng), meaning dream.
Which one should you use?
You can also use 好梦 (hǎomèng) as an alternative way to express a good dream.
How do you pronounce it?
měimèng
Did you know?
- While 美梦 is the translation for 'sweet dream', Chinese speakers rarely say it as a bedtime wish. Instead, they usually say 晚安 ('good night') or 早点休息 ('rest early').
- While 'sweet dream' is a wish for sleep, the phrase 做美梦 is often used metaphorically to describe someone who is living an unrealistically perfect or delusional life.
- The concept of 'beautiful dreams' is a recurring theme in classical Chinese poetry to signify the fleeting and illusory nature of human life.
Examples in context
- 祝你做个美梦。zhù nǐ zuò gè měimèng.I wish you a sweet dream.
- 他在做美梦。tā zài zuò měimèng.He is having a sweet dream.
- 昨晚我做了一个美梦。zuó wǎn wǒ zuò le yī gè měimèng.I had a sweet dream last night.
Example conversation
A couple is getting ready to go to sleep.
- 雨婷 Yuting晚安，俊杰。wǎn'ān, jùnjié.Goodnight, Junjie.
- 俊杰 Junjie晚安，雨婷。祝你有个美梦。wǎn'ān, yǔtíng. zhù nǐ yǒu gè měimèng.Goodnight, Yuting. I wish you a sweet dream.
- 雨婷 Yuting谢谢你，你也一样。xièxiè nǐ, nǐ yě yīyàng.Thank you, you too.
- 俊杰 Junjie好，睡觉吧。hǎo, shuìjiào ba.Okay, let's go to sleep.
