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March 24, 2026
做梦(做夢)zuòmèng(zuo4meng4)
做梦 (zuò mèng) means 'to dream' in the literal sense, but it can also refer to having unrealistic fantasies or illusions. It is commonly used in both casual conversations and literary contexts to convey aspirations or unattainable goals.
Strokes22Frequency#2721DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of dreams can be linked to personal aspirations and the idea of 'dreaming big.' The phrase '做梦' is frequently used to critique unrealistic ambitions, reflecting a cultural value placed on practicality and hard work.
Memory Tip
Imagine you're 'doing' (做, zuò) something extraordinary in your dreams (梦, mèng)—like flying or meeting a celebrity. The character 做 looks like a person taking action, while 梦 combines the imagery of a dream world with the character for 'eye', suggesting that dreams are seen or visualized.
Meanings of 做梦
zuòmèng(zuo4meng4)
1to dream
2to have a dream
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About 做梦
做梦Simplified
做夢Traditional
22Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 做梦
Podcast: 做梦
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AI Study Notes for 做梦
Quick Contrast
做梦 (zuò mèng) vs 幻想 (huànxiǎng) — use 做梦 for dreaming in sleep or unrealistic fantasies, while 幻想 emphasizes imaginative or fanciful thoughts.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 做梦 with just dreaming at night; it can also imply unrealistic aspirations. In informal contexts, you might hear it used to dismiss someone’s goals as unrealistic. For example, saying '你在做梦吗?' (Are you dreaming?) can sound dismissive.
Learners often mistakenly think 做梦 only refers to dreaming while asleep. For instance, saying '我做梦了' (I did a dream) is incorrect; it should be '我做梦' (I dream) or '我做了一个梦' (I had a dream) to clarify the context.
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Pronunciation of 做梦
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做梦 (zuò mèng) means 'to dream' in the literal sense, but it can also refer to having unrealistic fantasies or illusions. It is commonly used in both casual conversations and literary contexts to convey aspirations or unattainable goals.
When to use 做梦
Be careful not to confuse 做梦 with just dreaming at night; it can also imply unrealistic aspirations. In informal contexts, you might hear it used to dismiss someone’s goals as unrealistic. For example, saying '你在做梦吗?' (Are you dreaming?) can sound dismissive.
做梦 or something close to it
做梦 (zuò mèng) vs 幻想 (huànxiǎng) — use 做梦 for dreaming in sleep or unrealistic fantasies, while 幻想 emphasizes imaginative or fanciful thoughts.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly think 做梦 only refers to dreaming while asleep. For instance, saying '我做梦了' (I did a dream) is incorrect; it should be '我做梦' (I dream) or '我做了一个梦' (I had a dream) to clarify the context.
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Frequently Asked Questions about 做梦
To say 'I'm dreaming' in Chinese, you can say '我在做梦' (Wǒ zài zuò mèng). This phrase indicates that you are currently in the process of dreaming while asleep.
Yes, 做梦 can be part of idiomatic expressions like '做梦都想不到' (zuò mèng dōu xiǎng bù dào), which means 'I never even dreamed of it.' This phrase highlights surprise or disbelief regarding an outcome.
You can use 做梦 in a sentence like: '我昨晚做梦了' (Wǒ zuó wǎn zuò mèng le), which means 'I dreamed last night.' It's commonly used to describe the experience of dreaming during sleep.
做梦 (zuò mèng) means 'to dream' in Chinese. It refers to the act of dreaming while sleeping. Additionally, it can also imply daydreaming or having unrealistic aspirations.
Yes, you can, but be aware that it often implies a deeper meaning of aspirations or unrealistic goals.
It is primarily used in informal contexts, often in conversations among friends.
做梦 refers to both literal dreaming and unrealistic aspirations, while 梦想 specifically means 'dream' in the context of aspirations or ideals.
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