諺語 · a single proverb
同床異夢
Simplified: 同床异梦
What does 同床異夢 (tóng chuáng yì mèng) mean?
同床異夢 (tóng chuáng yì mèng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "same bed, different dreams." In use it means: People who appear to be together but want completely different things. Unity on the surface, divergence underneath. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "same bed, different dreams."
The reading
They share a roof, a table, sometimes a plan. But when the lights go out, their minds travel to different places. The problem is not the different dreams. It is pretending the dreams are the same. Honesty about divergence is more useful than the appearance of alignment.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common idiom; Song dynasty literary usage
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 同床異夢 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 同床異夢 (tóng chuáng yì mèng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common idiom; Song dynasty literary usage. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 同床異夢?
In Mandarin it is tóng chuáng yì mèng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 同床異夢 aloud in Mandarin.