夢中 (むちゅう)

[sheepeater]

This is a nice little phrase that I semi-learned recently, and I'd like to get to grips with it better. I have a few examples of use in my dictionary (below) but I'm still not so confident in using it.

夢中 (dream, middle) basically means 'to be absorbed / immersed / wrapped up in something'. It's used figuratively.

Some examples:

彼は夢中でテレビを見ていた。
かれは　むちゅうで　てれび　を　みていた。
kare wa muchuu de terebi wo miteita.
He was absored in watching television.

彼は恵子に夢中になっている。
かれは　けいこ　に　むちゅう　に　なっている・
Kare wa Keiko ni muchuu ni natteiru.
He's crazy about Keiko.

彼らは話に夢中だった。
かれらは　はなし　に　むちゅう　だった。
Karera wa hanashi ni muchuu datta.
They were completely absorbed in conversation.

All well and good, but the way 夢中 is used here with both "に" and "で", and just on its own is confusing m me a little. I suppose if we're talking about a continuing state, as in the second example, we need 夢中 to be followed by "なっている"...

So would we say:

僕は最近この本に夢中になっている
ぼくは　さいきん　このほん　に　むちゅう　に　なっている。
Boku wa saikin konohon ni muchuu ni natteiru.

to mean "I'm completely absorbed in this book recently?" And more to the point, is it correct to use なっている when talking about 'recently' but not 'at this very moment in time'?  Ah, so many questions.

Anyway, what are you currently 夢中 with? Books? Studying? Some girl / guy? Do share.

[Forum ninja]

That's an awesome little vocab guide there. I really should do more of these little vocab lessons. Learning a new word in context is best. Thanks!

[seantothefox]

Couldn't agree more, how about a lesson on this word?! Would be sweet! Though I can't say I hear this word too often.

[grey]

Great examples!
Some more I picked up from "various sources" :

あたしに夢中になって!
Become addicted to me! (paraphrased from www.nicetranslator.com... not quite sure how, or whether anyone would, say this in English....)

君に夢中になっちゃった
I'm completely into you.