想xiǎngto desire; to want (to)

1. 1.

   to desire; to want (to)verb

2. 2.

   to think (about); to think (that); to believe (that)verb

3. 3.

   to miss (feel wistful about the absence of)verb

• 想to desire; to want (to)

想 before a verb is often "would like to"; before a noun it is usually "miss." Negate it with 不: 不想.

1. HSK 1

   我想喝茶。

   Wǒ xiǎng hē chá.

   I'd like to drink tea.

2. HSK 1

   你想看电影吗？

   Nǐ xiǎng kàn diànyǐng ma?

   Would you like to watch a movie?

3. HSK 1

   我想你。

   Wǒ xiǎng nǐ.

   I miss you.

4. HSK 1

   他们不想回家。

   Tāmen bù xiǎng huí jiā.

   They don't want to go home.

Before a verb, both can mean "want to," but 想 is closer to "would like to" and often softer; 要 is firmer. Before a noun, 想 means "miss," while 要 means "want (this thing)."

1. 
   Speaker A:

   你想喝什么？

   Nǐ xiǎng hē shénme?

   What would you like to drink?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   我想喝茶。

   Wǒ xiǎng hē chá.

   I'd like to drink tea.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   你想看电影吗？

   Nǐ xiǎng kàn diànyǐng ma?

   Would you like to watch a movie?

4. 
   Speaker B:

   不想，我想回家。

   Bù xiǎng, wǒ xiǎng huí jiā.

   No, I'd like to go home.

5. 
   Speaker A:

   你想不想妈妈？

   Nǐ xiǎng bu xiǎng māma?

   Do you miss Mom?

6. 
   Speaker B:

   想，我很想她。

   Xiǎng, wǒ hěn xiǎng tā.

   Yes, I miss her a lot.

1. 1.Fill in the blank: 我___喝茶。

   A是B想C的
2. 2.Before a noun, which word means "miss" rather than "want (this)"?

   A要B想C会
3. 3.Fill in the blank: 他们不___回家。

   A想B是C在

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Related words

• 要yàoto want; to need; to ask forHSK 1
• 不bùno; not so; (bound form) not; un-HSK 1
• 会huìcan; to have the skill; to know how toHSK 1
• 的deof; 's (possessive particle)HSK 1
• 好hǎogood; appropriate; properHSK 1
• 是shìto be (followed by substantives only)HSK 1

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