想象 meaning in English

xiǎngxiàng

to imagine; to envision; imagination

HSK 4nounverb24 strokes

Meaning of 想象

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

xiǎngxiàng

to imagine; to envision
imagination

How to use 想象

想象 works as a verb (to imagine) and as a noun (imagination). It often appears in patterns like 难以想象 (nányǐ xiǎngxiàng, hard to imagine) and 想象力 (xiǎngxiànglì, imagination as an ability). Example: 我无法想象没有手机的生活。(Wǒ wúfǎ xiǎngxiàng méiyǒu shǒujī de shēnghuó.) I can't imagine life without a phone.

想 (xiǎng) means to think, and 象 (xiàng) means an image or likeness. To 想象 is to think up an image in your mind.

Common mistake: Learners often write 想像 with the person radical 亻. That form exists, but mainland standard usage is 想象. Also watch the tones: xiǎng is third tone and xiàng is fourth tone, so don't say both syllables the same way.

想象 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

那nà个ge没méi你nǐ想xiǎng象xiàng的de那nà么me难nán。

It's not as hard as you think.

我wǒ想xiǎng你nǐ用yòng自zì己jǐ的de想xiǎng象xiàng力lì。

I want you to use your imagination.

这zhè只zhǐ是shì脑nǎo子zi想xiǎng象xiàng出chū来lái的de。

It's just imaginary.

我wǒ无wú法fǎ想xiǎng象xiàng另lìng一yí个gè星xīng球qiú上shàng的de生shēng物wù。

I can't imagine what creatures living on another planet are like.

那nà只zhǐ是shì你nǐ的de想xiǎng象xiàng。

It's just your imagination.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

想 xiǎng · to think · 13 strokes

象 xiàng · elephant · 11 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 想象.

想法	xiǎngfǎ	way of thinking; opinion; notion; to think of a way (to do sth)
想到	xiǎngdào	to think of; to call to mind
想起	xiǎngqǐ	to recall; to think of
理想	lǐxiǎng	an ideal; a dream
印象	yìnxiàng	impression (sth that stays in one's mind); a memory
思想	sīxiǎng	thought; thinking
对象	duìxiàng	target; object; partner; boyfriend; girlfriend
形象	xíngxiàng	image; form
现象	xiànxiàng	phenomenon; appearance
梦想	mèngxiǎng	(fig.) to dream of; dream
没想到	méi xiǎngdào	didn't expect
想念	xiǎngniàn	to miss; to remember with longing

Questions about 想象

What does 想象 mean?

想象 (xiǎngxiàng) means "to imagine; to envision; imagination" and is used as a noun and verb.

How do you write 想象?

想象 is made of 2 characters: 想 (13 strokes), 象 (11 strokes). That is 24 strokes in total.

Is 想象 an HSK word?

Yes. 想象 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

What is the difference between 想象 and 想到?

想象 means picturing something that is not real or not present. 想到 means something comes to mind or occurs to you, such as 我没想到他会来 (I didn't expect him to come).

How do I say someone is very imaginative?

Use 想象力 (xiǎngxiànglì), meaning imagination as an ability. For example, 这个孩子很有想象力 (Zhège háizi hěn yǒu xiǎngxiànglì) means this child is very imaginative.