ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/95.mw.html

<p>Both 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) can essentially mean &quot;want,&quot; but they can also be used in quite different ways, such as 想 (xiǎng) also meaning &quot;to miss&quot; when followed by a noun, and 要 (yào) also meaning &quot;going to (do something).&quot;</p>
<h2 id="followed-by-a-noun">Followed by a Noun</h2>
<p>Both 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) may be followed by nouns, but pay attention to how the meaning of 想 (xiǎng) totally changes when used this way.</p>
<h3 id="要-yào-as-to-want">要 (yào) as &quot;to Want&quot;</h3>
<h4 id="structure">Structure</h4>
<p>In this pattern, 要 (yào) is directly followed by a thing (a noun), rather than by a verb. It is often used to buy something, or to order food at a restaurant.</p>
<p>It may be helpful to imagine a demanding child using this pattern to get stuff from his parents. This &quot;<em>I want x!</em>&quot; pattern can seem slightly impolite, but to the Chinese ear it's not as inherently rude as it may seem when translated directly into English. Tone of voice plays a key role when using this pattern in spoken Chinese.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 要 + Noun</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 也 <em>要</em> 茶 吗？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">ordering in a restaurant</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ yě <em>yào</em> chá ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you also want tea?</span></li>
<li>我们 都 <em>要</em> 咖啡。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">ordering in a cafe</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>yào</em> kāfēi.</span><span class="trans">We all want coffee. </span></li>
<li>大家 <em>要</em> 不 <em>要</em> 米饭？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">ordering in a restaurant</span><span class="pinyin">Dàjiā <em>yào</em> bù <em>yào</em> mǐfàn? </span><span class="trans">Does everyone want rice? </span></li>
<li>你们 <em>要</em> 冰水 还是 热水？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">ordering in a restaurant</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>yào</em> bīng shuǐ háishì rè shuǐ? </span><span class="trans">Do you want ice water or hot water? </span></li>
<li>谢谢，我 什么 都 不 <em>要</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">ordering in a restaurant</span><span class="pinyin">Xièxiè, wǒ shénme dōu bù <em>yào</em>.</span><span class="trans">Thank you. I don't need anything.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="想-xiǎng-as-to-miss">想 (xiǎng) as &quot;to Miss&quot;</h3>
<p><strong>Pay attention here:</strong> unlike &quot;想 (xiǎng) + Verb,&quot; the meaning of 想 (xiǎng) in the &quot;想 (xiǎng) + Noun&quot; pattern becomes &quot;to miss.&quot;</p>
<h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 想 + Noun</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 <em>想</em> 你。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>xiǎng</em> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I miss you.</span></li>
<li>我 有点 <em>想</em> 我 的 家人。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǒudiǎn <em> xiǎng</em> wǒ de jiārén.</span><span class="trans">I sort of miss my family.</span></li>
<li>你们 回 美国 以后， 会 <em>想</em> 中国菜 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen huí Měiguó yǐhòu, huì <em> xiǎng</em> Zhōngguó cài ma? </span><span class="trans">Will you all miss Chinese food after you go back to the U.S.? </span></li>
<li>你女朋友 不 在 的时候，你 会 <em>想</em> 她 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚpéngyou bù zài de shíhou, nǐ huì <em>xiǎng</em> tā ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you miss your girlfriend when she is not around? </span></li>
<li>妈妈 打 电话 的 时候 跟 我 说， 她 很 <em>想</em> 我。<span class="pinyin">Māma dǎ diànhuà de shíhou gēn wǒ shuō, tā hěn <em>xiǎng</em> wǒ.</span><span class="trans">Mom called me and said she misses me a lot.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="followed-by-a-verb">Followed by a Verb</h2>
<p>要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) have similar meanings when followed by verbs. The difference is rather subtle, but 要 (yào) can sound more urgent or demanding (sometimes even childish), while 想 (xiǎng) is usually a bit more mature and polite. Tone of voice plays a big role here as well, though, so don't be afraid of offending people by using 要 (yào); the word itself isn't rude.</p>
<h3 id="要-yào-as-want-to">要 (yào) as &quot;Want to&quot;</h3>
<h4 id="structure-2">Structure</h4>
<p>It might help to think of 要 (yào) in this sense as meaning &quot;want to&quot; and 想 (xiǎng) as meaning &quot;would like to.&quot;</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 要 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-2">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 <em>要</em> 休息 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yào</em> xiūxi.</span><span class="trans">I want to rest.</span></li>
<li>你 也 <em>要</em> 回家 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yě <em>yào</em> huíjiā ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you also want to go home? </span></li>
<li>你们 <em>要</em> 喝 什么 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>yào</em> hē shénme? </span><span class="trans">What do you want to drink? </span></li>
<li>我 <em>要</em> 帮 老板 做 完 这些 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yào</em> bāng lǎobǎn zuò wán zhèxiē gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">I want to help the boss finish this work.</span></li>
<li>大家 晚上 <em>要</em> 不 <em>要</em> 出去 吃 ？<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā wǎnshang <em>yào</em> bu <em>yào</em> chūqù chī? </span><span class="trans">Does everyone want to go out to eat tonight? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="想-xiǎng-as-would-like-to">想 (xiǎng) as &quot;Would Like to&quot;</h3>
<h4 id="structure-3">Structure</h4>
<p>It might help to think of 想 (xiǎng) as meaning &quot;would like to&quot; instead of &quot;want to.&quot; In English, as well, &quot;would like to&quot; feels more indirect, and thus less demanding and more more polite.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 想 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-3">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 <em>想</em> 去 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng</em> qù ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to go? </span></li>
<li>我 不 <em>想</em> 见 她 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù <em>xiǎng</em> jiàn tā.</span><span class="trans">I wouldn't like to see her.</span></li>
<li>周末 你们 <em>想</em> 看 电影 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò nǐmen <em>xiǎng</em> kàn diànyǐng ma? </span><span class="trans">Would you like to see a movie this weekend? </span></li>
<li>我 <em>想</em> 请 你 吃饭 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>xiǎng</em> qǐng nǐ chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">I'd like to treat you to dinner.</span></li>
<li>他们 春节 不 <em>想</em> 回家 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Tāmen Chūnjié bù <em>xiǎng</em> huíjiā ma? </span> <span class="trans">Don't they want to go back home for Spring Festival? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="要-yào-as-going-to">要 (yào) as &quot;Going to&quot;</h3>
<p>要 is used to indicate plans for the near future, much like &quot;going to&quot; in English. 想 (xiǎng) is not used in this way.</p>
<h4 id="structure-4">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 要 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-4">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>星期六 我 <em>要</em> 去 北京。<span class="pinyin">Xīngqīliù wǒ <em>yào</em> qù Běijīng.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to Beijing on Saturday.</span></li>
<li>下 个 月 她 <em>要</em> 找 新 工作。<span class="pinyin">Xià gè yuè tā <em>yào</em> zhǎo xīn gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">She is going to look for a new job next month.</span></li>
<li>这个 周末 你们 <em>要</em> 出去 玩 吗？<span class="pinyin">Zhège zhōumò nǐmen <em>yào</em> chūqù wán ma? </span><span class="trans">Are you going out partying this weekend? </span></li>
<li>结婚 以后，你 <em>要</em> 跟 父母 住 在 一起 吗？<span class="pinyin">Jiéhūn yǐhòu, nǐ <em>yào</em> gēn nǐ fùmǔ zhù zài yīqǐ ma? </span><span class="trans">Are you going to live together with your parents after you get married? </span></li>
<li>生 完 孩子 以后，你 太太 <em>要</em> 回去 工作 吗？<span class="pinyin">Shēng wán háizi yǐhòu, nǐ tàitai <em>yào</em> huíqù gōngzuò ma? </span><span class="trans">Is your wife going back to work after she finishes giving birth to the baby? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="想要-xiǎngyào-as-want">想要 (xiǎngyào) as &quot;Want&quot;</h2>
<h3 id="structure-5">Structure</h3>
<p>You can put 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) together to make the word 想要 (xiǎngyào), which means &quot;to want.&quot; You can put either nouns or verbs after it.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 想要 + Noun / Verb</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-5">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 <em>想要</em> 几 个 孩子 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎngyào</em> jǐ gè háizi? </span><span class="trans">How many kids do you want to have? </span></li>
<li>我 老婆 总是 <em>想要</em> 最 贵 的 包。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎopo zǒngshì <em>xiǎngyào</em> zuì guì de bāo.</span><span class="trans">My wife always wants the most expensive bags.</span></li>
<li>她 <em>想要</em> 找 一 个 有钱 的 男朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>xiǎngyào</em> zhǎo yī gè yǒuqián de nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">She wants to find a rich boyfriend.</span></li>
<li>你们 为什么 <em>想要</em> 离开 北京 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen wèishénme <em>xiǎngyào</em> líkāi Běijīng? </span><span class="trans">Why do you all want to leave Beijing?</span></li>
<li>他 <em>想要</em> 帮 你 找 一 个 更好 的 工作。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>xiǎngyào</em> bāng nǐ zhǎo yī gè gèng hǎo de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">He wants to help you find a better job.</span></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>
<li><a href="&quot;Would_like_to&quot;_with_xiang" title="wikilink">&quot;Would like to&quot; with xiang</a></li>
<li><a href="Auxiliary_verb_&quot;yao&quot;_and_its_multiple_meanings" title="wikilink">Auxiliary verb &quot;yao&quot; and its multiple meanings</a></li>
<li><a href="Negative_commands_with_&quot;bu_yao&quot;" title="wikilink">Negative commands with &quot;bu yao&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_determination_with_&quot;feiyao&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing determination with &quot;feiyao&quot;</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (pp. 154-5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276385">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>          </p>
<p><a href="Category:grammar_comparison" title="wikilink">Category:grammar comparison</a></p>