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HSK 1

想

to want; to think; to miss

verbneutral2 episodes
想
xiǎng3rd tone

Say it yourself

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
xiǎng
Part of speech
verb
Level
HSK 1
Strokes
13
Register
neutral
In episodes
2

Stroke order for 想

想 is written with 13 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 想 mean?

想 (xiǎng) is one of the most versatile HSK 1 verbs.

It carries three related senses that English splits across separate words. (1) 'To want to / would like to' — followed by another verb: 我想去 ('I want to go'), 我想吃饭 ('I'd like to eat'). This is softer than 要 (yào, 'want / will'); 想 expresses a wish or inclination, while 要 expresses a firmer want or plan. (2) 'To think (that) / consider' — followed by a thought: 我想这是对的 ('I think this is right').

(3) 'To miss / long for' someone or something: 我想你 ('I miss you'). The same character, same tone — context tells you which sense. Beginners should remember: 想 + verb = want to do something; 想 + person = miss that person; 想 + clause = think that something is the case.

Memory hook: 想 has 心 (heart) on the bottom and 相 (mutual / appearance) on top — your heart pictures something, so you 'think of' / 'want' / 'miss' it.

Hear 想 in real episodes

想 appears in 2 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed. Each sentence plays at the easiest difficulty it exists in — switch it to hear the same moment at your level, with full pinyin and English throughout.

他喝水的时候，也在想数学。

When he drinks water, he is also thinking about math.

Former NFL Lineman John Urschel, Now an MIT Professor, Solves a 30-Year-Old Math Conjecture on Gaussian Elimination

Difficulty
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很多人看见他，想：他八十岁了。

Many people see him and think: he is eighty years old.

Lula Wins Brazil's Presidency at 80 — A Comeback Over Flávio Bolsonaro by 52% to 48%

Difficulty
Play the whole episode
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Example sentences

我想吃中国菜。

Wǒ xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài.

I'd like to eat Chinese food.

spoken

我想你。

Wǒ xiǎng nǐ.

I miss you.

spoken

我想这本书很好。

Wǒ xiǎng zhè běn shū hěn hǎo.

I think this book is good.

neutral

你想去哪儿？

Nǐ xiǎng qù nǎr?

Where do you want to go?

spoken

Common phrases with 想

我想wǒ xiǎngI want to / I think
想你xiǎng nǐmiss you
想一想xiǎng yi xiǎngthink about it for a moment
不想bù xiǎngdon't want to
想家xiǎng jiāmiss home; be homesick

Synonyms

要yào

要 is a stronger 'want / will / need to.' 我要去 sounds like 'I'm going to go' (decided). 我想去 sounds like 'I'd like to go' (wish). For ordering at a restaurant, 要 is direct ('I'll have…'); 想 is more tentative ('I'd like to try…').

觉得juéde

Both can mean 'think,' but 觉得 means 'feel / have the impression that' — closer to opinion. 想 leans toward considering or wanting. For 'I think it's good,' 我觉得很好 is more natural than 我想很好.

希望xīwàng

希望 means 'to hope' — a stronger, more distant wish. 我希望你来 ('I hope you'll come') vs 我想你来 ('I want you to come'). 希望 implies uncertainty; 想 is a simpler wish.

Don't confuse 想 with

像xiàng

像 (xiàng, fourth tone) means 'to resemble / be like' and looks similar to 想 (note the 人 radical on 像 vs the 心 on 想). 他像他爸爸 ('he looks like his dad') is totally different from 他想他爸爸 ('he misses his dad').

要yào

Beginners default to 要 for all 'want' situations. But 想 + verb ('want to do') is often softer and more polite than 要 + verb. At a tea shop: 我想要一杯茶 (polite); 我要一杯茶 (direct, fine but blunter).

Frequently asked questions

Related words from the same episodes

打to fight; to hit大big; large东西thing工作work; job很多人many people教to teach看见see; catch sight of帽子hat名字name钱money人person; people认识to know (a person)

Acquire it by listening

Meet 想 again — in real Chinese, at your level.

You just saw 想 in 2 episodes. Fluentide keeps feeding you news episodes at your level, so this word — and thousands like it — resurface in real sentences until they stick. Full pinyin and translation every time. Free to start.