想 meaning and stroke order
To think (about); to think of; to devise; to think (that); to believe (that)
How to write 想, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 想
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to think (about)
- to think of; to devise
- to think (that); to believe (that)
- to desire; to want (to)
- to miss (feel wistful about the absence of)
How 想 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mind.
心 gives the meaning and 相 hints at the sound.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 想
想 is 相 (xiāng) on top of 心 (xīn, heart or mind). 心 gives the meaning of thinking with your mind, and 相 gives the sound, so picture your heart holding an image of someone you think about or miss.
想 is one of the most common verbs in Chinese. It can mean to think, to want to do something, or to miss someone. Example: 我很想你。(Wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ.) I miss you a lot.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 想 (xiǎng) with 相 (xiāng or xiàng), forgetting the 心 at the bottom, and also mix up the third tone of 想 with the first tone of 相. Another trap is using 想 for strong decisions where 要 (yào) sounds more natural, since 想 is softer, like "would like to."
Common words with 想
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 想法 | xiǎngfǎ | way of thinking; opinion; notion; to think of a way (to do sth) | HSK 2 |
| 想到 | xiǎngdào | to think of; to call to mind | HSK 2 |
| 想起 | xiǎngqǐ | to recall; to think of | HSK 2 |
| 理想 | lǐxiǎng | an ideal; a dream | HSK 2 |
| 思想 | sīxiǎng | thought; thinking | HSK 3 |
| 想象 | xiǎngxiàng | to imagine; to envision; imagination | HSK 4 |
| 梦想 | mèngxiǎng | (fig.) to dream of; dream | HSK 4 |
| 没想到 | méi xiǎngdào | didn't expect | HSK 4 |
| 想念 | xiǎngniàn | to miss; to remember with longing | HSK 4 |
| 感想 | gǎnxiǎng | impressions; reflections | HSK 5 |
| 设想 | shèxiǎng | to imagine; to assume | HSK 5 |
| 联想 | liánxiǎng | to associate (cognitively); to make an associative connection | HSK 5 |
| 幻想 | huànxiǎng | to fantasize; to imagine; an illusion; a fantasy | HSK 6 |
| 想不到 | xiǎngbudào | unexpected; hard to imagine | HSK 6 |
想 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 想
How many strokes are in 想?
想 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 想 mean?
想 (xiǎng) means to think (about); to think of; to devise; to think (that); to believe (that). A common word with it is 想法 (xiǎngfǎ), meaning "way of thinking; opinion; notion; to think of a way (to do sth)".
How do you pronounce 想?
想 is pronounced xiǎng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 想?
The radical of 想 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 想 under this radical.
Is 想 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 想 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 想 and 要 when saying I want?
我想喝水 (wǒ xiǎng hē shuǐ) sounds gentle, like "I'd like some water." 我要喝水 (wǒ yào hē shuǐ) is firmer, closer to "I want water" or "I'm going to drink water."
How do you say "I think that" with 想?
You can say 我想 followed by a clause, as in 我想他不来了 (wǒ xiǎng tā bù lái le), "I think he isn't coming." For giving opinions, 我觉得 (wǒ juéde) is also very common and a bit more casual.