HSK 1 · VERSION 2.0#27
Expressing Desire with “xiǎng”
想
How it works
想 means “want to” or “would like to.”
The pattern
Subject + 想 + Verb Phrase
Example sentences
我想喝水。
I want to drink water.
他想去中国。
He wants to go to China.
你想买什么？
What do you want to buy?
Usage note
想 can also mean “to think,” but at HSK1 it is often first learned as “want to.”
When 想 is followed directly by a person, it often means “miss” or “think about”, rather than “want to do something”.