红楼梦

紅樓夢

Hónglóumèng

proper noun

Meanings

1 Dream of the Red Chamber
2 Cao Xueqin's 18th-century novel, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature

Characters

building; chamber

Examples

HSK 4

研究红楼梦的学问叫红学。

Yánjiū Hónglóumèng de xuéwèn jiào Hóng xué.

The field studying Dream of the Red Chamber is called Redology.

HSK 7-9

《红楼梦》是中国四大名著之一。

《 Hónglóumèng 》 shì Zhōngguó sìdà míngzhù zhīyī.

Dream of the Red Chamber is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels.

HSK 7-9

贾宝玉是红楼梦的主角。

Jiǎbǎoyù shì Hónglóumèng de zhǔjué.

Jia Baoyu is the protagonist of Dream of the Red Chamber.

Tips

culture

Written by 曹雪芹 in the mid-1700s, first published 1791. Traces the decline of the aristocratic 贾 family through the tragic romance of 贾宝玉 and 林黛玉. Generated its own academic field, 红学 (Redology). The 1987 CCTV adaptation is still the gold-standard screen version.

In Pop Culture

曹雪芹 Cáoxuěqín

Cao Xueqin

Author of Dream of the Red Chamber, from a formerly powerful Qing banner family that fell from grace.

贾宝玉 Jiǎbǎoyù

Jia Baoyu

Protagonist of the novel, born with a piece of magical jade in his mouth.

林黛玉 Líndàiyù

Lin Daiyu

Baoyu's cousin and tragic love; icon of the sickly, sensitive Chinese literary heroine.

Stroke Order

红 hóng

楼 lóu

梦 mèng