Word in Japanese/emotion
Dream in Japanese
Dream translates as 夢 (yume). Below is a full breakdown with stroke counts, alternate writings, an example sentence, and tattoo design notes.
What it means
夢 (yume, ゆめ) means dream.
| Kanji | Meaning | Strokes | On'yomi | Kun'yomi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 夢 | dream, vision | 13 | mu, bou | yume |
Compounds and related words
Common Japanese vocabulary built around this kanji.
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 夢中 | muchuu | absorbed, engrossed, in a dream state |
| 悪夢 | akumu | nightmare |
| 夢想 | musou | daydream, fantasy |
Example sentence
夢を諦めないでください。
Yume o akiramenaide kudasai.
Please don't give up on your dreams.
Tattoo design notes
夢 covers both literal sleep dreams and aspirational dreams in Japanese, just like English. It is one of the most popular single-kanji tattoos because it is meaningful, visually striking, and reads cleanly at any size. The character is symmetric and translates well to brush-script renderings.
Cultural notes
夢 is used identically to English in both senses: nighttime dreams and life ambitions. The kanji depicts a person sleeping under a roof, evoking the original meaning of seeing visions during sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say dream in Japanese?
Dream in Japanese is 夢, romanised as yume and written in hiragana as ゆめ. 夢 is used identically to English in both senses: nighttime dreams and life ambitions. The kanji depicts a person sleeping under a roof, evoking the original meaning of seeing visions during sleep.
What does the kanji 夢 mean?
夢 means "dream, vision" (13 strokes; on'yomi: mu, bou; kun'yomi: yume). Together the word reads as yume.
Is 夢 a good kanji for a tattoo?
夢 covers both literal sleep dreams and aspirational dreams in Japanese, just like English. It is one of the most popular single-kanji tattoos because it is meaningful, visually striking, and reads cleanly at any size. The character is symmetric and translates well to brush-script renderings.
How do you write dream in hiragana?
In hiragana, dream is written as ゆめ, which represents the sound yume. The kanji form 夢 is used in everyday writing; hiragana is used when the kanji is too difficult, for emphasis, or in children's text.
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