diff --git a/src/Lean/Meta/Sym.lean b/src/Lean/Meta/Sym.lean
index 4a2db00d8b..e32b84c5b1 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Meta/Sym.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Meta/Sym.lean
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ public import Lean.Meta.Sym.LooseBVarsS
 public import Lean.Meta.Sym.InstantiateS
 public import Lean.Meta.Sym.IsClass
 public import Lean.Meta.Sym.Intro
+public import Lean.Meta.Sym.Pattern
 
 /-!
 # Symbolic simulation support.
diff --git a/src/Lean/Meta/Sym/Pattern.lean b/src/Lean/Meta/Sym/Pattern.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0c5b2acf7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Lean/Meta/Sym/Pattern.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2025 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Leonardo de Moura
+-/
+module
+prelude
+public import Lean.Meta.Sym.SymM
+import Lean.Meta.Sym.InstantiateS
+namespace Lean.Meta.Sym
+open Grind
+
+/-!
+This module implements efficient pattern matching and unification module for the symbolic simulation
+framework (`Sym`). The design prioritizes performance by using a two-phase approach:
+
+# Phase 1 (Syntactic Matching)
+- Patterns use de Bruijn indices for expression variables and renamed level params (`_uvar.0`, `_uvar.1`, ...) for universe variables
+- Matching is purely structural after reducible definitions are unfolded during preprocessing
+- Universe levels treat `max` and `imax` as uninterpreted functions (no AC reasoning)
+- Binders and term metavariables are deferred to Phase 2
+
+# Phase 2 (Pending Constraints) [WIP]
+- Handles binders (Miller patterns) and metavariable unification
+- Converts remaining de Bruijn variables to metavariables
+- Falls back to `isDefEq` when necessary
+
+# Key design decisions:
+- Preprocessing unfolds reducible definitions and performs beta/zeta reduction
+- Kernel projections are expected to be folded as projection applications before matching
+- Assignment conflicts are deferred to pending rather than invoking `isDefEq` inline
+- `instantiateRevS` ensures maximal sharing of result expressions
+-/
+
+public structure Pattern where
+  levelParams    : List Name
+  varTypes       : Array Expr
+  pattern        : Expr
+  deriving Inhabited
+
+def uvarPrefix : Name := `_uvar
+
+def isUVar? (n : Name) : Option Nat := Id.run do
+  let .num p idx := n | return none
+  unless p == uvarPrefix do return none
+  return some idx
+
+def preprocessType (type : Expr) : MetaM Expr := do
+  let type ← unfoldReducible type
+  let type ← Core.betaReduce type
+  zetaReduce type
+
+public def mkPatternFromTheorem (declName : Name) : MetaM Pattern := do
+  let info ← getConstInfo declName
+  let levelParams := info.levelParams.mapIdx fun i _ => Name.num uvarPrefix i
+  let us := levelParams.map mkLevelParam
+  let type ← instantiateTypeLevelParams info.toConstantVal us
+  let type ← preprocessType type
+  -- **TODO**: save position of instance arguments
+  let rec go (type : Expr) (varTypes : Array Expr) : Pattern :=
+    match type with
+    | .forallE _ d b _ => go b (varTypes.push d)
+    | _ => { levelParams, varTypes, pattern := type }
+  return go type #[]
+
+structure UnifyM.Context where
+  pattern : Pattern
+  unify   : Bool := true
+
+structure UnifyM.State where
+  eAssignment  : Array (Option Expr)   := #[]
+  uAssignment  : Array (Option Level)  := #[]
+  ePending     : Array (Expr × Expr)   := #[]
+  uPending     : Array (Level × Level) := #[]
+  us           : List Level            := []
+  args         : Array Expr            := #[]
+
+abbrev UnifyM := ReaderT UnifyM.Context StateRefT UnifyM.State SymM
+
+def pushPending (p : Expr) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Unit :=
+  modify fun s => { s with ePending := s.ePending.push (p, e) }
+
+def pushLevelPending (u : Level) (v : Level) : UnifyM Unit :=
+  modify fun s => { s with uPending := s.uPending.push (u, v) }
+
+def assignExpr (bidx : Nat) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Bool := do
+  let s ← get
+  let i := s.eAssignment.size - bidx - 1
+  if let some e' := s.eAssignment[i]! then
+    if isSameExpr e e' then return true
+    else
+      pushPending e' e
+      return true
+  else
+    modify fun s => { s with eAssignment := s.eAssignment.set! i (some e) }
+    return true
+
+def assignLevel (uidx : Nat) (u : Level) : UnifyM Bool := do
+  if let some u' := (← get).uAssignment[uidx]! then
+    isLevelDefEq u u'
+  else
+    modify fun s => { s with uAssignment := s.uAssignment.set! uidx (some u) }
+    return true
+
+def checkMVar (p : Expr) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Bool := do
+  if (← read).unify && e.getAppFn.isMVar then
+    pushPending p e
+    return true
+  else
+    return false
+
+def processLevel (u : Level) (v : Level) : UnifyM Bool := do
+  match u, v with
+  | .zero, .zero => return true
+  | .succ u, .succ v => processLevel u v
+  | .zero, .succ _ => return false
+  | .succ _, .zero => return false
+  | .zero, .max v₁ v₂ => processLevel .zero v₁ <&&> processLevel .zero v₂
+  | .max u₁ u₂, .zero => processLevel u₁ .zero <&&> processLevel u₂ .zero
+  | .zero, .imax _ v => processLevel .zero v
+  | .imax _ u, .zero => processLevel u .zero
+  | .max u₁ u₂, .max v₁ v₂ => processLevel u₁ v₁ <&&> processLevel u₂ v₂
+  | .imax u₁ u₂, .imax v₁ v₂ => processLevel u₁ v₁ <&&> processLevel u₂ v₂
+  | .param uName, _ =>
+    if let some uidx := isUVar? uName then
+      assignLevel uidx v
+    else if u == v then
+      return true
+    else if v.isMVar && (← read).unify then
+      pushLevelPending u v
+      return true
+    else
+      return false
+  | .mvar _, _ | _, .mvar _ =>
+    if (← read).unify then
+      pushLevelPending u v
+      return true
+    else
+      return false
+  | _, _ => return false
+
+def processLevels (us : List Level) (vs : List Level) : UnifyM Bool := do
+  match us, vs with
+  | [],    []    => return true
+  | [],    _::_  => return false
+  | _::_,  []    => return false
+  | u::us, v::vs => processLevel u v <&&> processLevels us vs
+
+partial def process (p : Expr) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Bool := do
+  match p with
+  | .bvar bidx => assignExpr bidx e
+  | .mdata _ p => process p e
+  | .const declName us =>
+    processConst declName us e <||> checkMVar p e
+  | .sort u =>
+    processSort u e <||> checkMVar p e
+  | .app .. =>
+    processApp p e <||> checkMVar p e
+  | .forallE .. | .lam .. =>
+    pushPending p e
+    return true
+  | .proj .. =>
+    reportIssue! "unexpected kernel projection term during unification/matching{indentExpr e}\npre-process and fold them as projection applications"
+    return false
+  | .mvar _ | .fvar _ | .lit _ =>
+    pure (p == e) <||> checkMVar p e
+  | .letE .. => unreachable!
+where
+  processApp (p : Expr) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Bool := do
+    -- **TODO**: Skip instance arguments, and process later
+    -- **TODO**: Skip proof arguments
+    let .app fp ap := p | process p e
+    let .app fe ae := e | return false
+    unless (← processApp fp fe) do return false
+    process ap ae
+  processConst (declName : Name) (us : List Level) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Bool := do
+    let .const declName' us' := e | return false
+    unless declName == declName' do return false
+    processLevels us us'
+  processSort (u : Level) (e : Expr) : UnifyM Bool := do
+    let .sort v := e | return false
+    processLevel u v
+
+def noPending : UnifyM Bool := do
+  let s ← get
+  return s.ePending.isEmpty && s.uPending.isEmpty
+
+def mkPreResult : UnifyM Unit := do
+  let us ← (← get).uAssignment.toList.mapM fun
+    | some val => pure val
+    | none => mkFreshLevelMVar
+  let pattern := (← read).pattern
+  let varTypes := pattern.varTypes
+  let eAssignment := (← get).eAssignment
+  let mut args := #[]
+  for h : i in *...eAssignment.size do
+    if let .some val := eAssignment[i] then
+      args := args.push val
+    else
+      let type := varTypes[i]!
+      let type := type.instantiateLevelParams pattern.levelParams us
+      let type ← shareCommon type
+      let type ← instantiateRevS type args
+      let mvar ← mkFreshExprSyntheticOpaqueMVar type
+      let mvar ← shareCommon mvar
+      args := args.push mvar
+  modify fun s => { s with args, us }
+
+def processPending : UnifyM Bool := do
+  if (← noPending) then
+    return true
+  throwError "NIY: pending constraints"
+
+abbrev run (pattern : Pattern) (unify : Bool) (k : UnifyM α) : SymM α := do
+  let eAssignment := pattern.varTypes.map fun _ => none
+  let uAssignment := pattern.levelParams.toArray.map fun _ => none
+  k { unify, pattern } |>.run' { eAssignment, uAssignment }
+
+public structure MatchUnifyResult where
+  us : List Level
+  args : Array Expr
+
+def mkResult : UnifyM MatchUnifyResult := do
+  let s ← get
+  return { s with }
+
+def main (p : Pattern) (e : Expr) (unify : Bool) : SymM (Option (MatchUnifyResult)) :=
+  run p unify do
+    unless (← process p.pattern e) do return none
+    mkPreResult
+    -- **TODO** synthesize instance arguments
+    unless (← processPending) do return none
+    return some (← mkResult)
+
+public def Pattern.match? (p : Pattern) (e : Expr) : SymM (Option (MatchUnifyResult)) :=
+  main p e (unify := false)
+
+public def Pattern.unify? (p : Pattern) (e : Expr) : SymM (Option (MatchUnifyResult)) :=
+  main p e (unify := true)
+
+end Lean.Meta.Sym
diff --git a/tests/lean/run/sym_pattern.lean b/tests/lean/run/sym_pattern.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5938e83dac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/run/sym_pattern.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import Lean.Meta.Sym
+open Lean Meta Sym
+
+opaque p : Nat → Prop
+opaque q : Nat → Nat → Prop
+
+def ex := ∃ x : Nat, p x ∧ q x .zero
+
+def test : SymM Unit := do
+  let p ← mkPatternFromTheorem ``Exists.intro
+  let e := (← getConstInfo ``ex).value!
+  let some r ← p.match? e | throwError "failed"
+  let app := mkAppN (mkConst ``Exists.intro r.us) r.args
+  logInfo app
+  for arg in r.args do
+    if arg.isMVar then
+      logInfo m!"{arg} : {← inferType arg}"
+  return ()
+
+/--
+info: @Exists.intro Nat (fun x => And (p x) (q x Nat.zero)) ?m.1 ?m.2
+---
+info: ?m.1 : Nat
+---
+info: ?m.2 : (fun x => And (p x) (q x Nat.zero)) ?m.1
+-/
+#guard_msgs in
+set_option pp.explicit true in
+#eval SymM.run' test