庄子曾梦见自己化身为蝶,当他醒来,他分不清是自己刚刚梦见自己变成蝴蝶呢,还是蝴蝶正梦见它变成了庄子。

Once, Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly, but when he woke up, he wasn't sure whether he was Zhuangzi who had dreamed being a butterfly or if he was a butterfly now dreaming he was Zhuangzi.

Once, Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly, but when he woke up, he wasn't sure whether he was Zhuangzi who had dreamt being a butterfly or if he was a butterfly now dreaming he was Zhuangzi.

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

=1 庄子 Zhuāng Zhuangzi (369-286 BC), Daoist author
=1 庄子 zhuāngzi (coll.) village; hamlet

classifier:

=2 Zēng surname Zeng
=2 céng
  1. once
  2. already
  3. ever (in the past)
  4. former
  5. previously
  6. (past tense marker used before verb or clause)
=2 zēng great- (grandfather, grandchild etc)
3 梦见 mèngjiàn
  1. to dream about (sth or sb)
  2. to see in a dream
4 自己
  1. oneself
  2. one's own
5 化身 huàshēn
  1. incarnation
  2. reincarnation
  3. embodiment (of abstract idea)
  4. personification
=6 wéi
  1. as (in the capacity of)
  2. to take sth as
  3. to act as
  4. to serve as
  5. to behave as
  6. to become
  7. to be
  8. to do
  9. by (in the passive voice)
=6 wèi
  1. because of
  2. for
  3. to
=6 wéi variant of wéi
=6 wèi variant of wèi
=7 dié variant of dié
=7 dié (bound form) butterfly
=8 dāng
  1. (onom.) dong
  2. ding dong (bell)
=8 dāng
  1. to be
  2. to act as
  3. manage
  4. withstand
  5. when
  6. during
  7. ought
  8. should
  9. match equally
  10. equal
  11. same
  12. obstruct
  13. just at (a time or place)
  14. on the spot
  15. right
  16. just at
=8 dàng
  1. at or in the very same...
  2. suitable
  3. adequate
  4. fitting
  5. proper
  6. to replace
  7. to regard as
  8. to think
  9. to pawn
  10. (coll.) to fail (a student)
9
  1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his
  2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 and 他人 rén)
10 醒来 xǐnglái to waken
11
  1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his
  2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 and 他人 rén)
=12 fēn
  1. to divide; to separate
  2. to distribute; to allocate
  3. to distinguish (good and bad)
  4. (bound form) branch of (an organization); sub- (as in 分局 fēn)
  5. fraction
  6. one tenth (of certain units)
  7. unit of length equivalent to 0.33 cm
  8. minute (unit of time)
  9. minute (angular measurement unit)
  10. a point (in sports or games)
  11. 0.01 yuan (unit of money)
=12 fèn
  1. part
  2. share
  3. ingredient
  4. component
13 不清 qīng unclear
=14 shì
  1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. correct; right; true
  3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)
=14 shì variant of shì
15 自己
  1. oneself
  2. one's own
=16 刚刚 gānggang
  1. just recently
  2. just a moment ago
=16 刚刚 gānggāng
  1. barely
  2. just; just now; a moment ago
17 梦见 mèngjiàn
  1. to dream about (sth or sb)
  2. to see in a dream
18 自己
  1. oneself
  2. one's own
19 变成 biànchéng
  1. to change into
  2. to turn into
  3. to become
20 蝴蝶 dié butterfly

classifier:

=21 ne
  1. particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And ...?")
  2. particle for inquiring about location ("Where is ...?")
  3. particle signaling a pause, to emphasize the preceding words and allow the listener time to take them on board ("ok?", "are you with me?")
  4. (at the end of a declarative sentence) particle indicating continuation of a state or action
  5. particle indicating strong affirmation
=21 dense wool fabric (used for coats and jackets)
=22 还是 háishi
  1. still (as before)
  2. had better
  3. unexpectedly
  4. or
=22 还是 háishì
  1. had better; it would be best (to do something); one would be well-advised to
  2. nevertheless; yet
  3. or
  4. still
23 蝴蝶 dié butterfly

classifier:

=24 zhēng first month of the lunar year
=24 zhèng
  1. straight
  2. upright
  3. proper
  4. main
  5. principal
  6. to correct
  7. to rectify
  8. exactly
  9. just (at that time)
  10. right (in that place)
  11. (math.) positive
25 梦见 mèngjiàn
  1. to dream about (sth or sb)
  2. to see in a dream
=26 it
=26 it (pronoun for an animal)
=26 tuō
  1. alternative form of / (tuó)
  2. used in 它它藉藉它它借借
=26 only used in 它它
27 变成 biànchéng
  1. to change into
  2. to turn into
  3. to become
=28 le
  1. (completed action marker)
  2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now)
  3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)
=28 liǎo
  1. to finish
  2. (used with or after a verb to express (im)possibility, as in 忘不了 wàngbuliǎo "cannot forget")
  3. (literary) (usually followed by a negative such as or ) completely (not); entirely (not); (not) in the least
  4. to understand clearly (variant of liǎo)
=28 liǎo
  1. (of eyes) bright
  2. clear-sighted
  3. to understand clearly
=28 liào unofficial variant of liào
=29 庄子 Zhuāng Zhuangzi (369-286 BC), Daoist author
=29 庄子 zhuāngzi (coll.) village; hamlet

classifier: