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  <h1>Expressing "would like to" with "<span class="pinyinst">xiang</span>" "<span class="hanzist">想</span>"</h1>

  <p>If you want to express something that you "would like to do," <span class="hanzi">想</span> (<span class="pinyin">xiǎng</span>) will be a very helpful auxiliary verb to know. Although similar to <span class="hanzi">要</span> (<span class="pinyin">yào</span>), <span class="hanzi">想</span> (<span class="pinyin">xiǎng</span>) will give you another more tactful option when you want to articulate a desire.</p>

  <h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <p>The verb <span class="hanzi">想</span> (<span class="pinyin">xiǎng</span>) can be used to express "would like to." In this case it's an <a href="auxiliary_verb" title="wikilink">auxiliary verb</a>. The structure is:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Subj. + <span class="hanzist">想</span> + Verb (+ Obj.)</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你 <span class="fondjaune">想</span> <span class="fondvert">去</span> 吗？</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> <span class="fondvert">qù</span> ma?</span> <br /> Would you like to go?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondjaune">想</span> <span class="fondvert">吃</span> 面。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> <span class="fondvert">chī</span> miàn.</span> <br /> I would like to eat noodles.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 <span class="fondjaune">想</span> <span class="fondvert">喝</span> 水 吗？</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> <span class="fondvert">hē</span> shuǐ ma?</span> <br /> Would you like to drink some water?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 <span class="fondjaune">想</span> <span class="fondvert">看</span> 电视。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> <span class="fondvert">kàn</span> diànshì.</span> <br /> We would like to watch TV.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 <span class="fondjaune">想</span> <span class="fondvert">买</span> 一 个 大 房子。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin">Tā <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> <span class="fondvert">mǎi</span> yī gè dà fángzi.</span> <br /> He would like to buy a big apartment.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="negate-想-xiǎng-with-不-bù">Negate <span class="hanzist">想</span> (<span class="pinyinst">xiǎng</span>) with <span class="hanzist">不</span> (<span class="pinyinst">bù</span>)</h2>

  <p>No surprises here: use <span class="hanzi">不</span> (<span class="pinyin">bù</span>) to negate <span class="hanzi">想</span> (<span class="pinyin">xiǎng</span>).</p>

  <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Subj. + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + <span class="pinyinst">想</span> + Verb + Obj.</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">他们 <span class="fondjaune">不</span> <span class="fondjaune">想</span> 去 酒吧。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <span class="fondjaune">bù</span> <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> qù jiǔbā.</span> <br /> They wouldn't like to go to the bar.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 <span class="fondjaune">不</span> <span class="fondjaune">想</span> 认识 这个 美女 吗？</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <span class="fondjaune">bù</span> <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> rènshi zhège měinǚ ma?</span> <br /> Would you not like to know this beautiful lady?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondjaune">不</span> <span class="fondjaune">想</span> 回家。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondjaune">bù</span> <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> huíjiā.</span> <br /> I wouldn't like to return home.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">那个 地方 很 近，我 <span class="fondjaune">不</span> <span class="fondjaune">想</span> 开车。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin"> Nàge dìfang hěn jìn, wǒ <span class="fondjaune">bù</span> <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> kāichē.</span> <br /> That place is so close. I would not like to drive.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 <span class="fondjaune">不</span> <span class="fondjaune">想</span> 花 父母 的 钱。</span> <br /> <span class="pinyin">Tā <span class="fondjaune">bù</span> <span class="fondjaune">xiǎng</span> huā fùmǔ de qián.</span> <br /> He would not like to spend his parents' money.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="Wanting_to_do_something_with_yao" title="wikilink">Wanting to do something with yao</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and Further Reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 112-3)　</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>) (pp. 179-80)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>)(2nd ed) (pp. 207)</li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: <a href="http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0133.html">The Uses of 想</a></li>
  </ul>
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