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

《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.

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.

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.

Tips

culture

Written by 曹雪芹 (Cáo Xuěqín) 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