梦
mèng · HSK 4
dream
💤 梦 = 林 (forest) over 夕 (evening) — night-forest reverie
The modern form 梦 sits 林 (woods) atop 夕 (dusk/moon), pointing to sleep-time wandering. Older forms had 夢 with 苜 + 宀 + 夕, hinting at lying down under a roof at evening — the territory of dreams.
梦 — forest 林 + evening 夕 (over 冖)
Originally written with 夕 'evening/night' under a roof or covering, suggesting a vision seen while sleeping at night. The modern form adds 林 'forest' on top, though this is largely phonetic and graphic simplification from older complex forms. The core meaning has stayed 'dream' since ancient times.