🌟 想 (xiǎng) - Expressing Desires and Plans with 想
Learn to express your desires, plans and intentions using 想 (xiǎng) - Chinese's most versatile word for 'want' and 'think'
Chinese lesson from Monday, June 2, 2025
📚 Part A - Essential Learning
Discover the power of 想 (xiǎng) to express desires and plans. Perfect for beginners learning to communicate their wants and intentions in Chinese.
Perfect for beginners and essential concepts
📚 Key Phrase: 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ)
📖
Grammar Focus
🌟 想 (xiǎng) - The Magic Word of Desires
想 (xiǎng) is one of the most useful words in Chinese. It can mean 'want', 'desire', 'think' or 'miss' depending on the context.
想 (xiǎng) is one of the most useful words in Chinese. It can mean 'want', 'desire', 'think' or 'miss' depending on the context.
Basic structure:
• 我想学习 (wǒ xiǎng xué xí) - I want to study
• 我想吃 (wǒ xiǎng chī) - I want to eat
• 我想睡觉 (wǒ xiǎng shuì jiào) - I want to sleep
我 + 想 + [verb/action]• 我想学习 (wǒ xiǎng xué xí) - I want to study
• 我想吃 (wǒ xiǎng chī) - I want to eat
• 我想睡觉 (wǒ xiǎng shuì jiào) - I want to sleep
🎯 想 + Simple Verb:
• 想吃 (xiǎng chī) - want to eat
• 想喝 (xiǎng hē) - want to drink
• 想睡觉 (xiǎng shuì jiào) - want to sleep
• 想休息 (xiǎng xiū xī) - want to rest
• 想吃 (xiǎng chī) - want to eat
• 想喝 (xiǎng hē) - want to drink
• 想睡觉 (xiǎng shuì jiào) - want to sleep
• 想休息 (xiǎng xiū xī) - want to rest
我想喝茶
wǒ xiǎng hē chá
I want to drink tea
🚶 想 + 去 + place:
To express that you want to go somewhere:
• 我想去商店 (wǒ xiǎng qù shāng diàn) - I want to go to the store
• 我想去商场 (wǒ xiǎng qù shāng chǎng) - I want to go to the mall
• 明天我想去图书馆 (míng tiān wǒ xiǎng qù tú shū guǎn) - Tomorrow I want to go to the library
To express that you want to go somewhere:
• 我想去商店 (wǒ xiǎng qù shāng diàn) - I want to go to the store
• 我想去商场 (wǒ xiǎng qù shāng chǎng) - I want to go to the mall
• 明天我想去图书馆 (míng tiān wǒ xiǎng qù tú shū guǎn) - Tomorrow I want to go to the library
Complete structure:
• 明天我想去图书馆学习 (míng tiān wǒ xiǎng qù tú shū guǎn xué xí) - Tomorrow I want to go to the library to study
• 我想去商场购物 (wǒ xiǎng qù shāng chǎng gòu wù) - I want to go shopping at the mall
[time] + 我想 + 去 + [place] + [do what]• 明天我想去图书馆学习 (míng tiān wǒ xiǎng qù tú shū guǎn xué xí) - Tomorrow I want to go to the library to study
• 我想去商场购物 (wǒ xiǎng qù shāng chǎng gòu wù) - I want to go shopping at the mall
🍵 Important types of tea:
• 绿茶 (lǜ chá) - green tea
• 红茶 (hóng chá) - black tea
• 乌龙茶 (wū lóng chá) - oolong tea
• 绿茶 (lǜ chá) - green tea
• 红茶 (hóng chá) - black tea
• 乌龙茶 (wū lóng chá) - oolong tea
很高兴认识你
hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ
Nice to meet you
Mucho gusto en conocerte
词汇 Vocabulary Practice
Practice writing the phrases from today's Chinese lesson!
很高兴认识你
hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ
English:
Nice to meet you
Español:
Mucho gusto en conocerte
我想学习
wǒ xiǎng xué xí
English:
I want to study
Español:
Quiero estudiar
我想吃
wǒ xiǎng chī
English:
I want to eat
Español:
Quiero comer
我想睡觉
wǒ xiǎng shuì jiào
English:
I want to sleep
Español:
Quiero dormir
我想休息
wǒ xiǎng xiū xī
English:
I want to rest
Español:
Quiero descansar
我想去商店
wǒ xiǎng qù shāng diàn
English:
I want to go to the store
Español:
Quiero ir a la tienda
我想去购物
wǒ xiǎng qù gòu wù
English:
I want to go shopping
Español:
Quiero ir de compras
明天我想去图书馆学习
míng tiān wǒ xiǎng qù tú shū guǎn xué xí
English:
Tomorrow I want to go to the library to study
Español:
Mañana quiero ir a la biblioteca a estudiar
我想喝茶
wǒ xiǎng hē chá
English:
I want to drink tea
Español:
Quiero beber té
我想喝绿茶
wǒ xiǎng hē lǜ chá
English:
I want to drink green tea
Español:
Quiero beber té verde
我想吃米饭
wǒ xiǎng chī mǐ fàn
English:
I want to eat rice
Español:
Quiero comer arroz
我饿！我想吃肉包子！
wǒ è! wǒ xiǎng chī ròu bāo zi!
English:
I'm hungry! I want to eat meat buns!
Español:
¡Tengo hambre! ¡Quiero comer panecillos de carne!
我想去商场
wǒ xiǎng qù shāng chǎng
English:
I want to go to the mall
Español:
Quiero ir al centro comercial
我想去商场购物
wǒ xiǎng qù shāng chǎng gòu wù
English:
I want to go shopping at the mall
Español:
Quiero ir de compras al centro comercial
明天我想去购物中心
míng tiān wǒ xiǎng qù gòu wù zhōng xīn
English:
Tomorrow I want to go to the shopping center
Español:
Mañana quiero ir al centro de compras
文化 Cultural Insights
🍃 Tea Culture in China
🫖 Traditional Tea Types:
• 绿茶 (lǜ chá) - Green Tea: Most common, unfermented, fresh taste
• 红茶 (hóng chá) - Black Tea: Fully fermented, strong flavor
• 乌龙茶 (wū lóng chá) - Oolong Tea: Semi-fermented, perfect balance
• 白茶 (bái chá) - White Tea: Minimally processed, very delicate
• 普洱茶 (pǔ ěr chá) - Pu-erh Tea: Special fermented tea from Yunnan
☕ Tea Philosophy:
• Drinking tea is an art in China, not just a beverage
• Associated with tranquility, meditation, and socializing
• 'Tea time' can last hours in family gatherings
• Serving tea to guests is a sign of respect
🛍️ Shopping Culture:
• Bargaining is normal in traditional markets
• Calling vendors '老板' is polite and common
• Night markets are perfect for practicing Chinese
• Paying with QR codes is more common than cash
💡 Cultural Tip: When you say '我想喝茶', prepare for a complete social experience, not just a quick drink!
🎯 Part B - Advanced Practice
Master complex usage patterns, cultural contexts of Chinese tea culture, and shopping expressions. Ideal for students ready to navigate real-world conversations with confidence.
For students ready to dive deeper
📖 Reading Practice
📖 小丽的周末愿望 - Xiao Li's Weekend Wishes
小丽这个周末有很多想做的事情。
星期六早上，她想去咖啡厅喝一杯绿茶。
然后她想去商场购物，买一些新衣服。
下午，她想去图书馆学习中文。
晚上她想在家里休息，看电视。
星期天，她想和朋友们去小商店买奶茶。
小丽说："我想这个周末过得很愉快！"
你这个周末想做什么呢？
📝 Vocabulary from this reading:
咖啡厅
kā fēi tīng
Coffee shop
衣服
yī fu
Clothes
愉快
yú kuài
Pleasant, happy
过得
guò de
To spend time, live
📚 Additional Learning Content
🛍️ Special Section: Shopping with 想
Useful phrases for shopping and using 想 in real situations.
Useful phrases for shopping and using 想 in real situations.
老板这个杯子多少钱?
lǎo bǎn zhè ge bēi zi duō shao qián?
Boss, how much is this cup?
十块钱
shí kuài qián
Ten yuan
这个杯子太贵了！便宜一点吧
zhè ge bēi zi tài guì le! pián yi yī diǎn ba
This cup is too expensive! Make it a little cheaper
老板，我要买三个杯子
lǎo bǎn, wǒ yào mǎi sān ge bēi zi
Boss, I want to buy three cups
老板，我想买五杯奶茶
lǎo bǎn, wǒ xiǎng mǎi wǔ bēi nǎi chá
Boss, I want to buy five cups of milk tea
🏪 Shopping vocabulary:
• 小商店 (xiǎo shāng diàn) - small shop
• 老板 (lǎo bǎn) - boss, owner
• 多少钱 (duō shao qián) - how much does it cost?
• 太贵了 (tài guì le) - too expensive
• 便宜一点 (pián yi yī diǎn) - a little cheaper
• 小商店 (xiǎo shāng diàn) - small shop
• 老板 (lǎo bǎn) - boss, owner
• 多少钱 (duō shao qián) - how much does it cost?
• 太贵了 (tài guì le) - too expensive
• 便宜一点 (pián yi yī diǎn) - a little cheaper
🧮 Difference: 要 vs 想 in shopping:
• 我要买 - 'I want to buy' (firmer decision)
• 我想买 - 'I'd like to buy' (more polite, less decided)
In stores, 要 is more direct and common for placing orders.
• 我要买 - 'I want to buy' (firmer decision)
• 我想买 - 'I'd like to buy' (more polite, less decided)
In stores, 要 is more direct and common for placing orders.
作业 Homework & Practice
📝 Homework for next class:
1. 📋 想 Practice: Write 5 sentences using 想 + verb (example: 我想睡觉 (wǒ xiǎng shuì jiào))
2. 🗣️ Shopping Dialogue: Practice the boss and customer dialogue using the class phrases
3. 🍵 Tea Research: Research ONE type of Chinese tea (绿茶 (lǜ chá), 红茶 (hóng chá), or 乌龙茶 (wū lóng chá)) and write 3 sentences with 想 (xiǎng) about why you want to try it
4. 📅 Weekend Plans: Write 5 plans using the structure: [time] + 我想 + [do something]
Example: 星期六我想去图书馆学习 (xīng qī liù wǒ xiǎng qù tú shū guǎn xué xí)
5. 🎯 Extra Challenge: Memorize the phrase of the day: 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ)
💡 Tip: Practice saying your daily desires in Chinese. Every time you're hungry, say '我想吃 (wǒ xiǎng chī)' + whatever you want to eat!
Practice Checklist:
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