Definitions
(noun)
illusion; fantasy; mirage
(adjective)
magical; unreal
Etymology
An inversion of 予, "to give"
About
The character "幻" originated from a graphical composition incorporating the element "幺", representing something fine or minute, alongside a twisting stroke that suggested alteration or entanglement, initially conveying ideas of visual deception or sleight of hand. Its early usage centered on tangible tricks or illusions, but over time the meaning expanded to abstract notions of the unreal, embracing fantasies, dreamscapes, and mental projections. This semantic shift from concrete artifice to imaginative abstraction is embedded in its structure, and the character now consistently functions in lexical compounds denoting phantom images, speculative visions, and perceptual experiences without material basis.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我有一个幻想。
他产生了幻觉。
那是一个梦幻的世界。
我看到了一个幻象。
灯光在变幻颜色。
这一切都是虚幻的。
湖面上出现了一个幻影。
他的梦想在现实中幻灭了。